Rescue workers found the tourist's body in the forest. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐÀ NẴNG — A tourist has died after falling into the forest while paragliding on Tuesday on Đà Nẵng's Sơn Trà Peninsula, according to authorities from Sơn Trà Ward.

The local authority said that at around 5:30pm on July 8, 37-year-old Hoàng Quốc Tuấn from Hưng Yên Province (currently residing in HCM City) took paragliding lessons provided by Tropical Forest Company.

Tuấn flew with a flight instructor – paraglider pilot Lê Mạnh Phú. 

The tourist sat in front, while Phú sat behind him to control the parachute. 

Authorities reported that the pair were flying above the Sơn Trà peninsula when Tuấn suddenly fell hundreds of metres into the forest, while Phú flew a bit further before crashing on the beach. The instructor was taken to the hospital.

Rescue workers entered the forest to search for Tuấn after the incident was reported.

At 7:25pm the same day, his body was found in the forest near Biển Đông Resort.

Nguyễn Trọng Thao, deputy director of Đà Nẵng’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that authorities are working to clarify the cause of the tourist’s death.

According to Thao, paragliding is an adventure sport in Đà Nẵng that has served thousands of tourists.

There are five companies licensed to operate in the area: Central Paragliding Tourism Co. Ltd., Đà Nẵng Bay Co. Ltd., Đà Nẵng Paragliding JSC, Tâm Phát Travel Co. Ltd. and Tropical Forest Service & Trading Co. Ltd.

These five operators meet the safety requirements under Article 9 of Decree 168/2017/NĐ-CP dated December 31, 2017, which provides specific guidelines under the Law on Tourism for non-motorised paragliding services at the Sơn Trà Peninsula paragliding site.

Authorities have regulated paragliding activities, which must be conducted before 5pm daily, and companies are advised not to organise late-day flights. All flights must be carefully evaluated in terms of weather conditions and wind direction.

“According to initial reports, the tourist had the accident at around 5:30pm, possibly during the last flight of the day operated by the company. After inspection, the flight was found to be within the permitted area,” said Thao.

The deputy director added that Tropical Forest Company has all the legal permits required to operate paragliding flights.

Tuấn had purchased insurance and signed a liability waiver acknowledging the health and safety risks.

The department is cooperating with relevant agencies to investigate the cause of the incident and to review and tighten safety protocols where necessary.

This is the first reported incident of a tourist fatality involving paragliding in Đà Nẵng.

Authorities have temporarily suspended paragliding activities on Sơn Trà Peninsula to review all flight safety procedures, including checking flight equipment and protection as well as assessing pilots' qualifications and certificates, licensing procedures and terrain. — VNS