Watch: Plane Slices Through Paraglider Midair, Woman Plunges Screaming Over Austrian Alps

(MENAFN- Live Mint)

A 44-year-old paraglider miraculously survived after a sightseeing plane smashed through her canopy during a terrifying midair collision over the Austrian Alps, sending her spiraling toward the ground before she managed to deploy an emergency parachute.

The dramatic incident happened on Saturday afternoon near Schmittenhöhe in northern Austria.

Plane tears through paraglider canopy midair

Video recorded by the paraglider, identified only as Sabrina, captured the horrifying moment a small aircraft suddenly flew directly through her canopy while she was gliding above the mountains.

The footage showed the plane passing only feet above her head before tearing through the paraglider wing.

Sabrina could be heard screaming as she began spinning uncontrollably through the sky.

The canopy appeared to split in half after being struck by the aircraft.

Emergency parachute saves paraglider's life

As she plummeted toward the ground, Sabrina desperately attempted to untangle herself and deploy her emergency reserve parachute.

The footage later showed her managing to open the emergency chute moments before landing hard on the ground.

Despite the terrifying fall, the experienced paraglider survived with only minor injuries.

“I actually still can't believe that I'm sitting here typing this - and that, aside from a few nasty bruises and some general contusions, absolutely nothing happened,” Sabrina wrote in German on Instagram after the accident.

Police detail collision over Alps

According to Austrian police, the 44-year-old paraglider pilot from Upper Austria had launched from Schmittenhöhe mountain and was flying toward Piesendorf.

Authorities said the collision occurred around 1:15 p.m. near the Pinzgauer Hütte mountain hut while she was carrying out a minor maneuver in the air.

The aircraft involved was identified as a Cessna operated by a 28-year-old pilot from Tyrol.

Police said the pilot was conducting a scenic sightseeing flight over the Alps when the collision occurred.

“The pilot of the powered aircraft was unable to avoid the paraglider,” authorities said.

The paraglider was severely damaged by the plane's propeller, forcing Sabrina to deploy her reserve parachute.

Plane lands safely after collision

Officials said the pilot of the light aircraft managed to safely land at Zell am See Airport after the collision.

The pilot reportedly claimed there was no way he could have avoided the paraglider.

Meanwhile, Sabrina completed an emergency landing on a forest road before being rescued by the Austrian police helicopter“Libelle Oskar.”

She was later flown to Zell am See Airport for assistance.

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