Asif Mahmood, a retired Navy commando, expert diver and paragliding pilot associated with Khanpur Dam, was killed in a paragliding accident in Upper Chitral after going missing during bad weather.
The 55-year-old, a resident of Wah Cantt, had taken off from Zaini Pass in Upper Chitral on Thursday afternoon as part of a six-member paragliding group.
According to Zahiruddin Baber, president of Upper Chitral’s paragliders’ association, the weather deteriorated about an hour into the flight. Five members of the group managed to land safely, while Mahmood continued flying toward Chitral city.
The group remained in radio contact with Mahmood for around one and a half hours after takeoff before his signal was lost. Rescue teams subsequently launched a search operation amid concerns that he may have crashed or been forced to make an emergency landing in the difficult mountainous terrain.
Rescue 1122 teams searched the high-altitude Barum hills for Mahmood. The operation was suspended overnight due to darkness and poor visibility before resuming early Friday.
Mahmood’s body was discovered on Friday afternoon in the highland pasture of Oveer Valley after a shepherd spotted him.
According to Baber, Mahmood had suffered head and spinal injuries after crashing into a hillock.
The incident is reported to be the first of its kind in Chitral in more than 25 years.
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