That was the scenario recently for Peng Yujiang, an acro paraglider with five years’ experience, who was confronted by a terrifyingly rare situation. A sudden updraft blasted him over 8,000 meters into the air, launching him well above the clouds. The photos depict the incident that took place in the Qilian mountain range of northern China. New second-hand paragliding equipment that she was hoping to try out and break in there. That was never his intention in climbing this high.
On the morning of May 10, at the start of the flight, Peng set out from an altitude of around 3,000 meters. He hoped for a comfortable flight. He didn’t file any flight plans because he was sure he’d just be hanging out low to the ground. All at once, he found himself trapped in a ferocious updraft. It propelled him beyond—or at least violently upward—toward any heights that he would’ve ever wanted to reach! He ascended to an elevation that almost shattered the world record of 9,946 meters. A record established under similar circumstances in 2007 by German paraglider Ewa Wiśnierska.
The conditions during the flight were extreme. According to Peng he had a thermal shock down to -35 degree Celsius and ended up being iced over in icicles. He fought the cold to stay connected over his radio. Even under those horrible conditions, he was determined that communication should not be abandoned.
“My hands were frozen outside. I kept trying to talk on the radio,” – Peng Yujiang
After a hard IRC flight, Peng touched down roughly 30 kilometers from where he had launched. His buddies among the leadership, like Gu Zhimin, welcomed him, brimming with sunny smiles. He was roundly bashed for his implementation. Nonetheless, officials accepted that the whole incident had been an accident and commended him on his incredible survival.
Since the incident, Peng Yujiang received a six-month ban on flying airplanes. Even worse than these consequences, he was required to write a report, which forced him to reflect on how his behavior harmed others. The report stated, “Gu Zhimin posted a flight video without permission, which had a bad impact.” This statement underscores the need for increased oversight and enforcement of safety procedures and regulations in all extreme sports.
“A normal person cannot be exposed at 8,000m without oxygen so this is not something that can be done voluntarily.”
After all, Peng’s near-miraculous survival emphasizes the often-unpredictable risks of paragliding. It calls attention to the grave need for safety protocols across extreme sports, and most controversially during adverse conditions. His experience highlights the importance of following established guidelines and being fully prepared before participating in any high-risk actions.