A 22-year old man from Waltham was rescued by bystanders on West Monponsett Pond Saturday following a paragliding accident.
The glider was reportedly up approximately 300 feet cruising at 40 mph before his sudden descent.
At approximately 3:33 p.m. on September 9, the Halifax Fire Department responded to the state boat ramp on Route 58 for a report of a paragliding accident, said Captain Jeffrey Cuozzo.
The man who was not identified by authorities reportedly is affiliated with the Sky Diving South Boston out of Cranland Airport in Hanson. He was the single operator and landed in the water following a malfunction.
“We considered it lucky that he landed in the water and people were close enough to assist him. Almost as soon as he hit the water a boat pulled up to assist,” said Chief Ted Broderick of Halifax Police.
The commercial grade paraglider is made by Scout Paramotor. It is considered a hobby and there are no medical clearances or licenses needed to own or operate the craft, said Broderick.
“Upon our arrival, the patient was being assisted out of the water by another boater in the Monponsett West Lake,” said Cuozzo.
The paragliding machine had encountered some wind turbulence and lost control over the water. The patient was taken to South Shore Hospital with minor injuries.