On the afternoon of Tuesday, January 21, a horrific ultralight aircraft crash occurred at Méribel-Les Allues, claiming the lives of its two occupants.
The accident happened around 5 PM when the ultralight aircraft, identified as a Piper PA-18 Super Cub, collided with two tandem paragliders before crashing onto the roof of an unoccupied chalet.
According to reports from the local authorities, the two men onboard the aircraft were aged 26 and 58. The prefecture of Savoie confirmed their deaths at the scene.
Eyewitness accounts describe the moments leading up to the crash. One local resident noted, "I heard an airplane overhead, and when I looked up, I saw skis falling from the sky followed by the paragliders who landed precariously among the trees."
Remarkably, the two paragliders managed to deploy their emergency parachutes and landed safely without serious injury, though they were understandably shaken by the incident.
Emergency services, including 35 firefighters and several medical personnel, were dispatched immediately after the crash. Their objective was to extricate the two deceased men from the wreckage. Authorities expressed concerns about the structural integrity of the chalet, complicative factors during the extraction efforts.
"The evacuation of the victims was made problematic due to the fragility of the roof right after the collision," explained Albertville prosecutor Benoît Bachelet. A crane was deployed to assist with the delicate operation.
The exact circumstances leading to the crash remain under investigation. A judicial inquiry has been opened to ascertain the details of the incident. The Bureau d’enquêtes et d’analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile (BEA) has also stepped in to conduct its own examination.
The involved ultralight aircraft, popular among aviation enthusiasts, is well known for having made significant flights, including landing atop Mont Blanc over six decades ago.
The local community has been deeply affected by this tragedy. A psychological emergency response unit has been set up to support witnesses and family members who experienced the horrific scene firsthand.
With the investigation still underway, family and friends of the victims are left grappling with the sudden loss and the questions surrounding the events leading up to the crash.