Rough landing Two paraglider pilots crash in the canton of St. Gallen

Two paragliding flights in Toggenburg ended in dramatic crashes on Saturday. A 69-year-old got off lightly after an emergency landing, while a 28-year-old crashed headfirst down a rock face.

Keystone-SDA

09.11.2025, 14:27

SDA

Two paraglider pilots crashed independently of each other on Saturday afternoon in the villages of Unterwasser and Alt St. Johann in St. Gallen Toggenburg. A 69-year-old suffered minor injuries and a 28-year-old sustained undetermined injuries, according to police reports.

The older of the two paraglider pilots had taken off from Alt St. Johann at 2 p.m. on Saturday. During the flight, his paraglider became unmaneuverable due to a twist, forcing it closer and closer to the rocks on the Frümsel.

The man then pulled the emergency parachute and landed roughly on a blanket of snow at Chegelhöf in Alt St. Johann, according to the police. The man suffered minor injuries as a result of the landing. Rega was immediately alerted and flew him to a parking lot, where he was released after receiving first aid.

Headfirst down a rock face

Shortly afterwards, at 2.10 p.m., a 28-year-old man started his paragliding flight at the Chäserugg take-off site. During the take-off, he stumbled and got his legs caught in the control lines of his paraglider. Partly slowed down by the paraglider, he fell headfirst down a rock face some 80 meters high.

The man came to rest at the foot of the wall with undetermined injuries. He was then flown to hospital by Rega, according to a statement.

Specialists from the Alpine Task Force of the St. Gallen cantonal police are investigating the incident under the direction of the St. Gallen public prosecutor's office in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland.