ST. GEORGE —A paraglider crash Sunday morning resulted in a rescue that took several hours to complete due to its location.
Sheriff’s Office liaison Sgt. Darrell Cashin said a male paraglider was taking off from a plateau north of Washington City in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve when he went down, hitting the side of the mountain.
“It was about 80-100 feet down, and access was going to be difficult no matter what anybody did,” Cashin said about the rescue. “There was a trail near, but to get to the trail was over two miles away.”
Cashin said they sent out a high-angle technical rescue team who gained access to the patient via Cottonwood Canyon Road. Both Intermountain Life Flight and DPS Star 9 helicopters arrived on the scene.
Life Flight landed on top, and crew members climbed down to treat the injured man. DPS then hoisted the patient up to the top of the plateau while Life Flight stabilized him. By then, the search and rescue crew had arrived to help move the patient, and he was transported to St. George Regional Hospital via Life Flight.
Crews assisted the man’s father in exiting the scene to be with his injured son.
“His condition, as far as I was told, is very serious, but he was conscious and talking to the Life Flight crew, which is a good sign,” Cashin said.
This report is based on statements from police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
Ed. Note: A previous version of this story said the crash happened Monday; it happened Sunday.
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