“Since the person was alive, every second counted. The team was under tremendous pressure to ensure that he did not fall in its presence. Our men acted swiftly and managed to bring him down safely,” said Arjit Sen Thakur, Senior Superintendent of Police, SDRF.
Although the force had not undertaken a similar rescue of a paraglider trapped in high-voltage wires in recent times, its specialised training for emergencies at heights proved invaluable.
“Our men are trained to carry out rescue operations at heights. We train for different eventualities on ropeways in the state,” Thakur said.
He said the pilot was fortunate that a large crane was available at the site and a well-equipped SDRF unit was stationed nearby. Had the team been farther away, reaching the spot would have taken considerable time.
The crane proved crucial in accessing the stranded pilot. The rescuers secured him with a rope to prevent him from slipping while being brought onto the crane. Thakur described the operation as a coordinated team effort.
