Trapped Polish paraglider rescued by helicopter

News of a daring helicopter rescue in Tenerife has been received from William J. Furney I the Canary Islands.

Paraglider incidents

A Polish man whose paragliding equipment was snared by a rocky outcrop and was left hanging from a ledge has been rescued by helicopter in what officials said was a “complex” mission.

The man got into trouble on the Constitution Day holiday on Wednesday December 6 in the scenic Barranco del Infierno ravine in the town of Adeje in southern Tenerife but was able to call for help.

Rescue officials from the Canary Islands Security and Emergencies Services scoured the rocky terrain for the man and found him dangling from an outcrop. A rescue specialist lowered himself on a rope and brought the man up to the craft.

The helicopter flew to Adeje, where an ambulance was waiting to take the Pole to hospital but he refused to go, saying he was not injured, rescue officials said.

Follow this link to view the search and rescue mission.

Barranco del Infierno is a popular area for paragliding due to its favourable air currents and dramatic mountain vistas.

In a separate paragliding accident on the same day, a 47-year-old woman was injured in the Ifonche area of Adeje when she suffered a fall. Rescuers took her to nearby Hospital Universitario Hospiten Sur for treatment.

Hiker taken to hospital

Finally a 73-year-old hiker also got into difficulty on Wednesday near the Fuente del Lomo Viewpoint in the northern part of the island and was taken to hospital by ambulance, according to rescue officials.