Paraglider survives Texas desert plunge thanks to video evidence
American paraglider Anthony Vellas experienced a near-death incident when he fell from a height while paragliding over the Texas desert. The entire ordeal was captured on three cameras.
10:06 AM EDT, April 30, 2024
Anthony Vella was collecting footage for an upcoming flight video northwest of Austin, Texas. The 33-year-old was flying 85 feet above the ground at 48 miles per hour when suddenly, a mishap with the right steering line caused his paraglider to descend quickly. Footage shows Vella frantically trying to recover control just moments before impact.
Anthony's fall was somewhat cushioned by the paraglider's engine mounted on his back, which likely spared him from fatal injury. Although the hardware absorbed some of the impact, Vella still sustained severe injuries. In the distressing video, he can be heard screaming in pain before using voice recognition on his phone to summon emergency services.
Shortly after the crash, two eyewitnesses nearby rushed to assist Vella. They helped him call emergency services and his wife, Leandra.
Rescue teams arrived within 10 minutes. At the hospital, Vella was found to have a broken neck, back, pelvis, and right hand, all requiring surgical intervention.
While recovering, Anthony attributed the crash to a lapse in his pre-flight equipment check. He acknowledged missing a small knot in the paraglider, which led to unexpected turbulence.
