French paraglider goes missing in northern Pakistan

A French paraglider pilot, Savall Xavier Alain Francois, is missing after a flight from a peak in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region on Saturday, officials told Arab News.

Gilgit-Baltistan, a region administered by Pakistan as an autonomous territory, is home to some of the world's highest peaks and a major tourist destination. Hundreds of tourists visit the region each year for expeditions on various peaks, paragliding and other sports.

Two Spanish paragliders and one French paraglider took off from a peak in the Hunza district at approximately 4pm on Saturday, according to officials. The Spanish duo landed safely, but Francois was nowhere to be found.

“Rescue 1122 members, police and local volunteers were dispatched to the site upon receiving the information,” Hunza Superintendent of Police (SP) Zahoor Ahmed told Arab News over the phone. "But they could not trace him."

Hunza Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Usman said they have decided to trace the missing French paraglider with the help of a chopper.

The Gilgit-Baltistan Tourist Police have said that three paragliders flew from the Duikar village of Hunza, with two of them safely landing at the riverside in Garnish valley.

The deputy commissioner has said that a helicopter has reached Hunza to launch a search for the missing French pilot.