KKB paragliding site closed for three weeks to improve SOPs after fatal accident

KUALA LUMPUR: The paragliding site at Bukit Batu Pahat, Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor, has been temporarily closed for three weeks to enable improvements to be carried out on the standard operating procedures (SOPs) following a fatal incident involving a paraglider who crashed into a tree Saturday (April 23).

Malaysian Sports Aviation Federation (MSAF) president Mohd Nurhaqimy Mohd Ismail said the preliminary investigations by the MSAF special team found that at the time of the incident, the weather was good and the paragliding equipment used was well maintained and in satisfactory condition.

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"However, the MSAF special investigation team found that there is room for improvement, especially in terms of SOPs at the site,” he said in a statement here Sunday (April 24).

"In this regard, the MSAF has ordered a temporary closure of the Kuala Kubu Baru paragliding site for three weeks to allow for the fine-tuning of the SOPs, to prevent such incidents from recurring," he said.

On Saturday, paraglider Mohammad Farhad Khalid, 44, was killed while paragliding at Bukit Batu Pahat in Kuala Kubu Baru.

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Nurhaqimy said that Farhad was an advanced pilot licence holder, certified by MSAF, as well as having experience of at least 200 flights since its inception in 2020.

He said that the MSAF was deeply saddened by the fatal accident and conveyed its condolences to the victim’s family.

The Selangor Fire and Rescue Department took two hours to lower the victim, from Subang Jaya, due to the height and location of the tree at 12.19m above ground.

Several Orang Asli who were at the crash site had climbed up the tree and secured the victim with lines from the paraglider to ensure that he did not fall.

However, Farhad was pronounced dead at the scene by the medical team. - Bernama