Paraglider Survives 8,500m Altitude After Being Swept Into ‘Cloud Suck’

This event was captured on a camera attached to his equipment and went viral in media where it showed Peng covered with ice all over his face and clothes while drifting in the clouds.The 55- year-old was apparently testing new equipment as a part of Ground Handling Training at an altitude 3,000m above sea level or 10,000 feet high, when a strong wind suddenly lifted him into the air. This incident could have caused risk of hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, because of the thin air. Severe hypoxia can cause organ damage or death at such extreme altitudes.

Peng told China Central Television (CCTV) on Tuesday stating “I found myself surrounded by cumulonimbus clouds and trapped inside. It was terrifying. Everything around me was white. Without the compass, I wouldn’t have known which direction I was heading. I thought I was flying straight, but in reality, I was spinning. Eventually, I managed to fly out toward the northeast,” He also adds that “As soon as I came out of the clouds, I was very excited because I had survived. The scariest moment was when I tried to pull out of the spiral and failed and when the canopy nosedived. It’s still frightening to think about,”.

Peng, who has been paragliding for over four years, said the incident has left him shaken up. “I’m not sure about the future, but for now I definitely won’t fly for a while,” he added. The Chinese authorities suspended him for six months because of the unauthorised flight and also noted that flying activities in that particular area would be suspended for an unspecified period.