A paraglider was left dangling from the cable of a gondola in the Swiss resort of Charmey on Sunday, August 31. The pilot in training collided midair with the lift line, according to the press release of the cantonal police of Fribourg.
The incident occurred around 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, when the 59-year-old man launched from the Vounetz take-off site, a popular paragliding and skiing area in the Gruyère region. For reasons that are currently unclear, he strayed from the established flight route and struck one of the cables of the Charmey gondola—an eight-person gondola by Garaventa. The wing of the paraglider became entangled, leaving him suspended above the ground.
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Emergency services, including REGA air rescue, the Jaun rescue station, and a specialist helicopter unit, coordinated to recover the pilot. He was injured in the crash and subsequently airlifted to a hospital. Authorities did not immediately disclose the extent of his injuries.
The Charmey mountain railway operator suspended gondola operations for about an hour during the delicate recovery effort and the gondola will not be operating on Monday, September 1. On its website, the resort shared that “due to weather conditions, the station will be closed on Monday, 1 September 2025. We look forward to seeing you again on Tuesday!” However, the forecast calls for some rain showers and wind gusts of up to 10 kilometers an hour (6 miles per hour) for the region. It seems rather unusual that a breeze and mild rainfall would force a closure of an alpine gondola.
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Investigators are now examining the circumstances that led to the collision. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has been notified, in keeping with Swiss procedures when incidents involve aerial transport systems.
Charmey, nestled in the foothills of the Fribourg Prealps, is a small ski resort and hiking destination known for its scenic gondola linking the village to Vounetz. The area has become increasingly popular with paragliders, who use the high alpine terrain for launches. During summer, the resort offers hiking, via ferratas, cheese making, summer luge rides, and zip lines. In winter, Charmey offers a total of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) of groomed runs serviced by five lifts, including the aforementioned gondola.
