German national Dieter Eichler lost his fingers in a paragliding accident at Colva in 2022. Captured by : The Goan/File photo
MARGAO
The Keri paragliding tragedy that claimed two lives has again brought to the forefront the safety aspects of water sports operations in the State, as the incident has raised questions over the safety of the user, rider, and the general public.
In Colva, local residents have been campaigning for the past two years to halt motor paragliding operations at the popular beach after a tragic incident in November 2022, in which an elderly German national lost his fingers. Since then, activists and locals have been lobbying various authorities, including the Tourism department, the district Collector, and Colva police, urging them to stop motor paragliding at the crowded beach, which attracts thousands of domestic and international tourists.
Locals argue that the Colva incident should have been a wake-up call for the Tourism Department to impose a ban on motor paragliding operations statewide. The incident involved 84-year-old Dieter Eichler, who was walking with his wife, Brunhild, along the Betalbatim-Colva beach stretch when a paragliding machine flew dangerously close. In an attempt to protect his head from the machine, Dieter raised his hand, resulting in the loss of his fingers.
Following the incident, residents led by activists Simon Rodrigues and Judith Almeida have persistently called for a ban on motor paragliding at Colva beach. However, their efforts have been unsuccessful.
There were hopes that the Tourism department might deny approval for the sport this year after the Colva panchayat passed a resolution calling for a ban due to public safety concerns. However, the Tourism department overruled the panchayat’s decision, granting permission for paragliding operations at the beach, prompting protests from locals and activists.
Judith Almeida, Secretary of the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum, expressed frustration, saying, “After the 2022 incident at Colva, the government did not pay heed to the pleas of locals and activists. We now hope that the government will reconsider its decision and ban motor paragliding following the Keri tragedy.”
Activist Simon Rodrigues, who was instrumental in highlighting the German couple's tragic experience, also reiterated his call for a ban. “From the beginning, the people of Colva have opposed paragliding because of safety concerns for both tourists and locals. The incident with the German couple was a painful reminder of the risks involved. The Keri tragedy could have been avoided if the government had acted swiftly to ban paragliding along the coast,” said Rodrigues.
In the wake of the Keri tragedy, the state government has temporarily suspended paragliding operations. However, Almeida and Rodrigues have vowed to take their fight to the judiciary if the government reauthorises the sport, warning that doing so would put public safety at significant risk.
