Gilgit-Baltistan: Army helicopter airlifts American paraglider from Rush Lake

A Pakistan Army Aviation helicopter airlifted an injured American paraglider from Rush Lake in Nagar,  one of the world’s highest alpine lakes, situated at 4,694 meters above sea level, after she crash-landed during a flight.

The paraglider, 40-year-old American citizen Jessica Courtney Green, and her companion, 35-year-old Australian national Shane Owen Teague, had taken off from Karimabad, Hunza, on Saturday. The duo planned to land at Rush Lake, around 50 kilometers from their starting point.

However, Green was forced into an emergency landing that left her with multiple injuries, including broken ribs, a fractured ankle, and severe leg trauma. She was reportedly found unconscious at the site.

Police said Teague managed to alert a friend through satellite phone, triggering a rescue call. Volunteers from Hopper Valley trekked to the area on Sunday, pulling the injured paraglider to safer ground, administering first aid, and spending the night at camp to provide food and assistance.

On Monday morning, a Pakistan Army Aviation helicopter evacuated Green to Gilgit and then to Skardu. She was later flown to Islamabad the same day on a chartered flight for further medical treatment.

Rush Lake, located north of Miar Peak and Spantik, is a popular destination for trekkers and paragliders, typically accessed via the Hopper and Miar glaciers from Hopper Valley.