SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Two paragliders died in a crash near the Torrey Pines Gliderport on Saturday and authorities continued to investigate the midair collision on Sunday.
San Diego Police say the two men collided around 2:40 p.m. on Saturday and became entwined in glider cord before falling 75 feet to the cliffs below.
Not much was known about the two men other than one was from San Diego and the other was from Orange County. There ages were listed as 61 and 43 but it is unknown which one was from where.
One man, from San Diego County, was an experienced glider pilot, while the other, an Orange County resident, was working on a certification but had flown at least 20 times, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
San Diego Lifeguard Lt. Rich Stropsky told the newspaper the less experienced pilot was flying south and made a sudden right turn directly into the other pilot's path. Their canopies became entangled, and they fell straight down onto the cliff before catching on a knoll, leaving them stranded.
Witnesses told News 8 the area was very windy at the time of the collision.
A San Diego Fire-Rescue helicopter assisted lifeguards in the recovery effort.
