A dramatic mid-air collision between a small sightseeing plane and a paraglider in northern Austria was caught on camera, showing a woman narrowly escaping death after her canopy was sliced apart high above the ground.
The incident occurred on May 23 as Sabrina, 44, was paragliding in clear skies when a small aircraft, identified as a Cessna 172, suddenly flew into her path. Harrowing footage posted to Instagram shows the plane’s wing and propeller tearing directly through her paraglider canopy just feet above her head, shredding the fabric and sending her spiraling toward the earth.
With the main canopy destroyed, Sabrina was forced into a rapid descent as tangled parachute lines wrapped around her. In a remarkable display of composure, she managed to deploy her emergency reserve parachute and free herself from the entanglement before landing safely, narrowly missing a tree.
“I still can’t believe that I’m sitting here typing this," Sabrina later wrote on Instagram, saying she escaped with bruises and minor injuries despite the terrifying ordeal.
Police said the paraglider’s canopy was severely damaged in the collision, prompting Sabrina to activate her reserve chute. She was later airlifted by police helicopter to a local airport for medical evaluation.
The 28-year-old pilot of the small plane also landed safely at Zell am See Airport and reportedly told authorities there was no way he could have avoided the paraglider.
Officials said both survived without serious injuries, with Sabrina’s quick thinking likely saving her life.