Is it a plane or a satellite? No, it's a Chinese paraglider at 8000 m above earth, frozen with no oxygen and still surviving
Aftermath and Investigation
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
Peng Yujiang, a seasoned Chinese paraglider, on May 24, 2025, found himself at the center of a harrowing and extraordinary survival story—one that has captivated China's adventure sports community and drawn comparisons to some of the most extreme feats in paragliding history.Peng, who has been paragliding since at least 2021 according to his WeChat posts, launched from the Qilian Mountains in northwestern China, a region known for its government-backed paragliding base and as host of the Coupe Icare China. What was intended as a routine ground-based training session quickly turned perilous. About 20 minutes after takeoff, Peng was caught in a rare and dangerous meteorological phenomenon known as 'cloud suck'—a powerful updraft within a cumulonimbus cloud that can rapidly pull gliders thousands of meters upward.Data from Peng's GPS tracker, later shared on social media, revealed he was lifted to a staggering altitude of 8,598 meters (28,200 feet)—just shy of the cruising altitude of commercial jetliners and perilously close to the world record for unassisted paragliding altitude. The ascent rate peaked at 9.7 meters per second (35 km/h), and temperatures plummeted to minus 40 degrees Celsius. Footage from Peng's own camera shows him coated in ice, without supplemental oxygen, struggling to communicate via radio as his hands froze.At such altitudes, oxygen levels are dangerously low and the risk of hypoxia, frostbite, and unconsciousness is extreme. Remarkably, Peng managed to stay conscious and maintain control for over an hour, eventually landing safely 33 kilometers from his launch site. 'I felt the lack of oxygen. My hands were frozen outside. I kept trying to talk on the radio,' Peng recounted in a Douyin video posted after his flight.His ordeal echoes that of German paraglider Ewa Wiśnierska , who survived a similar incident in 2007 after being lifted to 9,946 meters in Australia and losing consciousness for nearly 40 minutes. Both stories highlight the unpredictable dangers of high-altitude paragliding Following the incident, the Aero Sports Association of Gansu Province confirmed Peng's flight was not officially approved. Peng claimed he was conducting ground training when the winds unexpectedly lifted him. The association classified the event as an accident rather than illegal flying, but suspended Peng's flying privileges for six months pending investigation.Peng, who holds a valid paragliding license and has logged multiple high-altitude flights in the region, has since avoided media attention, asking the public to refrain from amplifying the incident. His Douyin account has been set to private, and his flight record removed from XContest, a global paragliding platform.Under Chinese regulations , all paragliding flights require prior approval and are prohibited in poor weather conditions. The ongoing investigation underscores the risks and regulatory challenges facing China's growing adventure sports scene.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Turkey sets new record of 50.5 degrees as Europe swelters
Representative image (AP) Turkey's Environment Ministry said meteorologists had registered a reading of 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southeast of the country, setting a nationwide record. The record temperature was registered on Friday at Silopi, the ministry said in a post on X on Saturday. Silopi is 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Turkey's borders with Iraq and Syria. The previous heat record, registered in August 2023, was 49.5 degrees Celsius. How hot is it in Turkey? Turkey is sweltering under a heat wave that has hit much of the eastern Mediterranean since Monday and is expected to last several more days. The Environment Ministry said 132 weather stations across Turkey registered record temperatures for July. Temperatures are up to 12 degrees Celsius higher than seasonal averages, Turkey's meteorological service said earlier this week. Hospitals have reported a surge in cases of dehydration, heatstroke and foodborne illnesses, according to Turkish newspaper Hürriyet. Turkey battles disastrous wildfires Temperatures above seasonal norms have been exacerbated by strong winds and dry conditions, resulting in dozens of wildfires across the country. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Are The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo A new fire broke out on Friday close to high-rise apartments in the popular Mediterranean resort city of Antalya in southern Turkey. Homes were evacuated in the city center on Friday and the outlying district of Aksu as the fire advanced. At 46.1 degrees Celsius, July temperatures in Antalya city were the highest for the month since records began in 1930. Blazes were also reported in the provinces of Karabuk, Sakarya and Bilecik in northern Turkey, forcing the evacuation of several villages. On Wednesday, 13 people died fighting a fire in Eskisehir province in western Turkey. Speaking after Friday prayers, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was "faced with a truly great disaster." He said 25,000 personnel were fighting fires across the country, assisted by 27 planes, 105 helicopters and 6,000 ground vehicles. Eastern Mediterranean hit by heat wave The heat wave in the eastern Mediterranean region has left countries such as Greece, Cyprus and Albania reeling under extreme heat or fighting fires. Greece on Saturday asked the European Union for help to battle wildfires that have sprung up in different regions. One of the worst fires broke out just north of Athens, destroying houses and forcing police to evacuate homes. Strong winds were fanning the blaze near Athens and other sites and the Peloponnese peninsula that juts out west of the capital, fire brigade spokesperson Vasileios Vathrakogiannis said on Saturday, according to the AFP news agency. They were also feeding the flames on the islands of Crete, Euboea and Kythera, he added. "The hard part is ahead of us," he told reporters. The fires broke out nearly a week into a heat wave, in which temperatures in Greece passed 45 degrees Celsius. Greek authorities shut the Acropolis, the country's top archaeological site, during the hottest part of the day from midday to 5 p.m. for much of the week, including Saturday. They warned tourists to stay in the shade.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
North Georgia braces for record-breaking triple digit temperatures; Heat advisories and warnings issued
North Georgia is likely to witness severe heat wave, with temperatures reaching to 100 degrees Celsius on Sunday and Monday and heat index rising to 100 to 111 degrees. The heat wave is predicted to peak on Monday and Tuesday, with temperatures in certain areas of metro Atlanta and North Georgia hovering with 100 degrees.(AFP) One county in North Georgia received the first Extreme Heat Warning from the National Weather Service. While there is a risk of isolated to sporadic thunderstorms through Tuesday, there is still a remote possibility of extensive severe weather. North Georgia intense heat: Residents urged to restrict outdoor activities In a bid to prepare for the extended heat, residents are encouraged to restrict their outside activities during peak hours, remain hydrated, and keep an eye on those who may be at risk. The heat wave is predicted to peak on Monday and Tuesday, with temperatures in certain areas of metro Atlanta and North Georgia hovering with 100 degrees. With overnight lows still in the 70s, warm, humid nights won't offer much respite. According to the National Weather Service, it might get as high as 111 degrees in Putnam County on Monday. The alert stretches into Milledgeville and Dublin. Also Read: Who were Clinton and Cristen Brink? Arkansas couple slain while hiking with two daughters in Devil's Den State Park North Georgia intense heat: List of Cooling centers issued While there may be a greater likelihood of afternoon storms by the middle of the week, the heat will still be a major factor at least until Thursday. Authorities advise citizens to stay hydrated, avoid being outside during hot weather, and keep an eye on elderly or fragile neighbors in anticipation of prolonged heat. Cooling centers will be accessible in several areas. DeKalb County cooling centers Cobb County cooling center Clayton County cooling centers Douglas County cooling centers Jasper and Newton counties cooling centers Marietta cooling center Throughout the week, the Southeast, including towns like Tampa, Savannah, Mobile and Orlando could see dozens of daily record highs. Cooler-than-normal temperatures are predicted to persist over a large portion of the Great Lakes, Midwest, and Northeast until the first week of August.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
4 Dead, 8 Missing As Heavy Rain Hits China, Highest Level Flood Alert Issued
Heavy rain intensified around Beijing and nearby provinces on Monday, with four people killed in a landslide in northern Hebei and eight people missing, as authorities warned of intensifying conditions and heightened disaster risks in the coming days. Authorities relocated more than 4,400 people as colossal rain continued to pound the suburban area of Miyun in Beijing causing flash floods and landslides, impacting many villages, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Images circulated on China's Wechat app showed areas of Miyun where cars and trucks were floating on a flooded road where water levels had risen so high that it had submerged part of a residential building. Electricity cuts are also affecting more than 10,000 people, in the area, CCTV said. Northern China has seen record precipitation in recent years, exposing densely populated cities, including Beijing, to flood risks. Some scientists link the increased rainfall in China's usually arid north to global warming. China's Central Meteorological Observatory said that heavy rainfall would continue to drench northern China over the next three days. Beijing issued its highest level flood alert on Monday, the official Xinhua news agency said. The storms are part of the broader pattern of extreme weather across China due to the East Asian monsoon, which has caused disruptions in the world's second-largest economy. Xiwanzi Village in Shicheng Town, near Miyun Reservoir, was severely affected, CCTV said on Monday with an additional 100 villagers transferred to a primary school for shelter. It comes after the maximum flood peak flow into the Miyun reservoir reached a record high of 6550 cubic meters per second, Beijing authorities said on Sunday. In neighbouring Shanxi province, videos from state media showed roads inundated by strong gushing currents and submerged vegetation including crops and trees. Shaanxi province, home to China's historic city of Xian, also issued flash flood disaster risk warnings on Monday. In Beijing's Pinggu District, two high-risk road sections have been sealed, authorities said. Authorities are carrying out search and rescue work across cities including Datong, where a driver in a Ford car has lost contact while driving in the floods, the People's Daily reported. China's Water Resources Ministry has issued targeted flood warnings to 11 provinces and regions, including Beijing and neighbouring Hebei, for floods from small and midsize rivers and mountain torrents. Two were dead and two missing in Hebei province, CCTV said on Sunday morning. Overnight rain dumped a record 145 mm (5.7 inches) per hour on Fuping in the industrial city of Baoding. China's National Development and Reform Commission said on Monday that it was urgently arranging 50 million yuan ($6.98 million) to support Hebei. The funds would be used to repair damaged roads and bridges, water conservancy embankments, schools and hospitals in the disaster area. The NDRC said it was "promoting the restoration of normal life and production as soon as possible." Chinese authorities closely monitor extreme rainfall and severe flooding are, as they challenge the country's ageing flood defences, threaten to displace millions and wreak havoc on China's $2.8 trillion agricultural sector.
