Paraglider snagged power lines in Austria, causing mass power outage

Paraglider snagged power lines in Austria, causing mass power outage
Paraglider snagged power lines in Austria, causing mass power outage

Accident on high-voltage line

On the evening of 29 October, an incident involving an air sportsman occurred near the settlement of Pruggern in the federal state of Styria. A 73-year-old German citizen, who was flying a paraglider, snagged electrical wires with his equipment. The voltage in the line touched by the sporting apparatus was 30 kV.

Mass power outage

Contact with the high-voltage wires caused a short circuit in the grid. As a result, power was cut off in many homes in the municipalities located between Niederwölz and Eich. Energy services were forced to disconnect Pruggern and neighbouring areas from the grid. Electricity supply was restored to normal only several hours after the incident.

Incident details and rescue

According to the publication Bild, the man was descending from the Dachstein mountain massif and intended to land near a tennis court. However, the paraglider got caught on the power line.

The rescue team first de-energised the damaged line and grounded the wires to ensure safety. After that, rescuers used ladders to reach the athlete. The injured man remained conscious and was able to hold a conversation with the rescuers.

The paraglider was hospitalised with injuries sustained. The exact causes that led to the wires being snagged are currently being established.

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