UPPER CHITRAL: The body of a paraglider pilot who had been missing since yesterday after taking off from Zani Pass in Upper Chitral has been recovered.
According to Rescue 1122, the rescue teams remained active in search of the missing paraglider. After suspicion was raised about the Aweer Valley pasture in Upper Chitral, a Rescue 1122 team reached the spot and recovered the body from the pasture.
The Media Coordinator of Rescue 1122 Upper Chitral said that the body is being shifted to THQ Hospital Booni via a Rescue 1122 ambulance after completing the search operation. Zani Pass is one of the most famous paragliding sites in Pakistan. It is located at an altitude of 3,812 to 4,200 meters above sea level in Upper Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pilots normally take off from Zani Pass and land in Booni Town, which is the headquarters of Upper Chitral district. The local name of the pass is Quran Panji. Chitral’s topography is considered ideal for paragliding because of its height, open landing spots, clear blue skies, and strong thermals that can keep a pilot in the air for hours.
International pilots like American Brad Sander started flying here around 2005-2007, who once set an Asian record by flying 224km from Booni to Karimabad. The district administration has been promoting it as a tourism product. The first-ever official paragliding gala was organized in October 2021 from Zani Pass.
Now there are two local associations with over 50 members in Chitral that train young pilots. Despite its beauty, it is considered a high-risk site. It is an avalanche-prone, high-altitude pass connecting Terich Valley with the Mulkhow area. Weather changes rapidly in the Hindu Kush mountains, which is why accidents are reported almost every season.
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