Paraglider caught in power lines rescued in California
Los Angeles — A paraglider is safe after getting tangled up in live wires north of Sacramento, California. The paraglider was face down, 30 feet above ground and trapped in high voltage transmission lines, forcing rescuers to take extreme precautions.
"The difficulty was making sure the lines were de-energized so the firefighters were safe," said Battalion Chief Randy York with the Olivehurst Fire Department.
They had to turn off the electricity, plunging nearly 5,000 nearby residents into darkness. Then, they faced the delicate challenge of safely extracting the man from his broken wings. Down below, a growing crowd was growing concerned.
The unidentified paraglider was on a training flight in northern California, following his instructor, when a wrong turn in the sky led to this tangled mess. Three excruciating hours later, he was finally lowered into a rescue bucket, still looking a bit air sick.
Once on the ground, he gave a thumbs up, grateful to get down.