Plunged into an icy void, devoid of oxygen: A paraglider endures an accidental journey of 8,600 meters in China.
In the Qilian mountain range of northern China, paraglider Peng Yujiang found himself in an extraordinary predicament, ascending to an altitude of over 8,000 meters unintentionally. With five years of experience under his wing, Peng initiated a ground-bound test of new equipment, unaware that the day would take an unexpected turn.
The test took an unexpected course around 20 minutes in when strong updrafts, or 'cloud suck' according to experts, pulled him up a further 5,000 meters, reaching speeds of 9.7 meters per second. To put it in perspective, Peng had nearly scaled the dizzying heights of Mount Everest, which stands at 8,848 meters above sea level.
Camera footage mounted on his paraglider documented his ascent amid the icy clouds, capturing images of Peng, devoid of an oxygen mask, battling temperatures as low as -35°C. For over an hour, he maintained radio contact while enduring the unfavorable conditions.
Despite his tenacity, Peng attempted to descend but faced difficulties. As he soared higher, momentary unconsciousness briefly ensued. Undeterred, he managed to safely land, 30 kilometers away from the initial launch site, following a harrowing journey.
Authorities, having praised his miraculous survival, classified the flight as accidental. However, Peng's flying privileges were revoked for six months due to the lack of a formal flight plan, as the incident was not pre-registered. Additionally, another individual, Gu Zhimin, was also banned for disseminating footage of the incident without authorization.
Riding on the viral wave of the video, Peng approached the world record for a flight without supplemental oxygen. In 2007, German paraglider Ema Wisnierska reached 9,946 meters under similar circumstances in Australia. However, any claimed records may not be officially recognized due to the flight's unregistered status.
Peng Yujiang's unprecedented adventure-travel in the Qilian mountain range, which included a thrilling travel experience to incredible heights, raised questions about his lifestyle choices and the risks associated with extreme sports. Despite the mishap that led to the revocation of his flying privileges, Peng's paragliding stunt notably drew attention, sparking comparisons with Ema Wisnierska's record-breaking travel adventure without supplemental oxygen in Australia.
