Bulgarian Paraglider Dies in Dharamshala Crash, Bir-Billing Suspends Solo Flights

A 47-year-old Bulgarian national died after a paragliding crash near Rising Star Peak in Khaniyara, Dharamshala, while his 63-year-old British companion survived, police said on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Maksim Valentinovich Gavrilichenko, who arrived in India on October 7 on a tourist visa. His British companion, Stephen Antony Purdie, was safely evacuated following the incident.

According to police, the two foreign nationals had taken off separately from the Bir-Billing paragliding site on Sunday and reportedly encountered adverse weather conditions during their flights.

A multi-agency search operation was launched to locate the two flyers and continued overnight before concluding on Monday. Gavrilichenko's body was taken to the mortuary at Zonal Hospital in Dharamshala for a post-mortem examination. Kangra Superintendent of Police Kulbhushan Verma said an investigation would be conducted to establish the cause of the crash.

Meanwhile, the administration has temporarily suspended solo paragliding activities at the internationally renowned Bir-Billing site for two to three days as a precautionary measure.

The decision triggered protests from domestic and international flyers, who demanded a clear technical justification for the restrictions. Several pilots expressed concern that the suspension would disrupt their flying schedules and training programmes.

Baijnath Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sankalp Gautam said at least six crash-landing incidents had been reported in the area over the preceding two to three days. He said changing weather patterns had increased the risks associated with paragliding, particularly for foreign pilots undertaking long-distance flights.

The temporary suspension is intended to address safety concerns amid the recent incidents and potentially hazardous flying conditions, Gautam said.

Bir-Billing, a prominent paragliding destination in Himachal Pradesh, attracts pilots and adventure sports enthusiasts from India and abroad. The latest fatality and the reported crash landings have renewed concerns over flight safety as weather conditions remain unpredictable. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.