60-year-old man rescued after paragliding accident on Dunstable Downs

A 60-year-old man was rescued by firefighters after a paragliding accident on Dunstable Downs.
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Emergency services and an air ambulance rushed to the scene yesterday (May 19) after the paraglider was knocked unconscious after a fall onto a hillside.

He was then taken to Luton and Dunstable Hospital with back pain and suspected broken ribs.

A Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "We were called yesterday (May 19) at 2.54pm to Dunstable Road, Whipsnade, to rescue one 60-year-old male who had fallen whilst paragliding on the hillside.

Image: Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.Image: Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Image: Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.

"The Rope Rescue Unit from Dunstable worked quickly to rescue the male casualty and left him in the care of the ambulance service."

The fire service had also posted on Facebook: "The man was unconscious when he was found by the Rope Rescue Unit but has now been conveyed to hospital with only some back pain and suspected broken ribs."

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An East of England Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 2.42pm [on May 19] with reports of a fall from a paraglider on Dunstable Downs.

Image: Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.Image: Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Image: Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.

"An ambulance, the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), an operations manager and the East Anglian Air Ambulance were sent to the scene.

"One patient was transported by land to Luton and Dunstable Hospital.”