MWE Correspondent
A Chinese paraglider narrowly escaped death after being swept to a staggering 8,000 metres (26,247 feet) above sea level during a flight over the Qilian Mountains in northwestern China.
The terrifying ordeal, reminiscent of a scene from a survival thriller, has stunned many in the country’s growing adventure sports community.
The paraglider, Peng Yujiang, who has five years of flying experience, launched from an altitude of 3,000 metres as part of a routine equipment test in Gansu Province. Just 20 minutes into his flight, Peng encountered an unexpected and powerful vertical airflow known among gliders as cloud suck. This phenomenon can occur when a strong updraft forms beneath developing storm clouds, rapidly pulling lightweight gliders into the sky.
Peng’s rise was so extreme that he reached an altitude similar to the cruising height of a commercial jet. At those levels, the air becomes dangerously thin, and the oxygen level is too low to sustain consciousness without assistance. Additionally, temperatures can plummet to -35°C, exposing pilots to hypothermia and hypoxia.
“I couldn’t breathe… my limbs froze, and I struggled to stay conscious,” Peng said after his recovery. “Then everything just went black.”
His airborne camera captured the terrifying ascent, during which he lost consciousness. Fortunately, as the thermal weakened, he began to descend slowly, eventually regaining awareness mid-air and steering his glider to a safe but remote landing spot nearly 30 kilometres from his launch site.
Footage of the flight, later posted to Douyin (China’s version of TikTok), went viral across Chinese social media platforms. The video showed Peng visibly panicking before passing out — and later celebrating his safe return, clearly shaken but unharmed.
Despite public admiration for his survival, local aviation authorities were quick to respond. Peng reportedly launched from an unregistered site without proper flight clearance, leading to a six-month paragliding suspension.
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His ground crew member, Gu Zhimin, who shared the video online, also received a penalty for unauthorized dissemination of drone-like aerial footage.
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Experts have weighed in on the case, comparing Peng’s experience to that of German paraglider Ewa Wiśnierska, who in 2007 was swept to nearly 10,000 metres over Australia by a thunderstorm. She, too, lost consciousness at altitude but miraculously survived.
While Peng’s story ended in relief, it highlights the often-overlooked dangers of paragliding, especially in mountainous areas where unpredictable weather can turn a casual flight into a life-threatening crisis.
Authorities have since reminded paragliding enthusiasts and extreme sports fans to strictly adhere to flight safety regulations and monitor weather patterns before takeoff. The thrill of soaring above Earth, they say, must never come at the cost of one’s life.
