Washington Fire and Rescue Crews Retrieve Body of Hang Glider From Tree

A Washington State hang glider was found dead in a tree on Sunday, according to local reports.

The Eastside Fire and Rescue crew responded to a 911 call — initially reported as a paraglider but was confirmed to be a fixed-wing hang glider, according to the fire department.  

The report stated that the person could be seen from the road and was stuck in some trees in according to local outlet KIRO 7. 

The first responders arrived at Tiger Mountain Road in Issaquah, Washington, shortly before 6 p.m. and reported an active rescue about 30 feet up in a tree, according to local outlet The Seattle Times.

According to the rescue crew's social media report, the person was initially reported as unconscious and unresponsive, but within a few minutes they reported the person was dead.

While one witness said the incident looked like a heart attack, the King County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, and the cause and manner of death will be determined by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, according to the local reports.

Marc Chirico, the owner of Seattle Paragliding, which operates from Poo Poo Point, said that the deceased is Chi Tang, according to KIRO 7.

According to the outlet, a student at Seattle Paragliding reportedly saw Tang flying in the hang glider as normal before slumping in his harness and slowly descending before landing softly among some trees.

Chirico told the outlet that Tang was a student who learned how to paraglide from them eight years ago. The owner said that Tang had a known heart condition, estimating him to be in his 60s.

“His hang glider was completely intact and they will find in short order he died mid-flight,” Chirico said to KIRO 7.

Eastside Fire told the outlet that while there are risks involved in activities like hang gliding and people should take caution when assuming the risks, deaths are uncommon.

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