A paraglider was injured Friday when he went down in the hills above the Soboba Indian Reservation in San Jacinto, requiring emergency crews to airlift him to a hospital.
The crash was reported about 12:50 p.m. in the area of Soboba Road and State Street, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The 45-year-old man, whose identity was not disclosed, was circling the location and apparently lost control, plunging into the hills. The victim had departed Soboba Flight Park a short time before the accident, according to officials.
Firefighters encountered difficulties reaching the crash site, and a sheriff’s helicopter crew based at nearby Hemet-Ryan Airport was sent to locate the paraglider, according to the fire department.
However, the emergency medical technician aboard the chopper did not want to move the victim, and a Mercy Air helicopter was dispatched to complete the rescue
The Mercy ship retrieved the man about 2 p.m. and transported him to Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley for treatment of moderate injuries to the lower extremities, officials said.
It was not immediately clear whether the victim was an amateur or professional paraglider.
Soboba Flight Park requires training before allowing visitors to helm their own rigs, which consist of an overhead wing-like chute that enables users to soar, relying on rising air columns known as thermals and winds for lift.