A paragliding expedition on Monday, April 18, ended tragically after a 19-year-old girl died after falling down the rocky Elgeyo escarpment in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
According to reports, the young girl, who had just finished her KCSE exams died after her glider-parachute collapsed and fell in Kessup village in Keiyo North sub-county.
According to Kessup Sub-location chief Cedric Changwony, the teenager started her paragliding at Kerio View in Iten town, run a few metres down the scenic cliffs of the Elgeyo escarpment, and then soar high like eagles.
It was however while flying above Kessup area that her parachute developed challenges while up in the skies before coming down crashing. She is reported to have fallen on the rocks, sustaining serious injuries.
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Efforts by locals to rush her to a local health center proved futile as the teenager succumbed to her injuries minutes later. Polices officers from the nearby Tambach station rushed to the scene and were later joined by their DCI counterparts from Iten.
The body of the deceased was taken to the Iten County referral hospital mortuary. Investigations into the incident have already started. Speaking to the press, the area chief Mr Changwony warned parents to be cautious of their children and ensure their safety standards during the holidays.
This comes just years after a 55-year-old German paraglider also lost his life after his parachute came down killing him on the spot. Gerd Schedler was paragliding with his colleague at Emis, Nyaru location in Keiyo south before the incident.
