Paraglider pilot missing in Pokhara after tragic accident
Christoph Andreas Sattler in Pokhara. Photograph: Tom de Dorlodot
A German acro pilot is missing in Nepal after a stunt to celebrate his 200th flight in Pokhara went tragically wrong.
Christoph Andreas Sattler, 26, jumped from his harness while still 15-20 m [edited 13 Feb] above Phewa Tal, the lake in Pokhara, on Friday 5 February.
According to friends he was celebrating his 200th flight in Pokhara and wanted to backflip into the lake.
Online reports from the Kathmandu Post and NepalNews.com say he failed to surface after hitting the water chest first.
A search of the lake failed to find him on Friday and the search was called off until Saturday.
Tom de Dorlodot, a Red Bull X-Alps pilot, told Cross Country:
“I spent one month in Nepal with Chris, flying acro every day. He was a great guy. I can not stop crying at his loss.
“Here is what I heard from people and some of our friends who were there when this tragedy happened: Chris had done his 200th flight in Pokhara and wanted to celebrate by doing a backflip and jumping from his harness into the lake.
“He unstrapped and jumped but hit the water hard, head first. He probably did not calculate the height right and did not land properly. He never came back up.
“He was a great guy. He was an amazing guy, super friendly and totally passionate about paragliding. He was a paragliding instructor who loved to share his passion.”
Pokhara’s superintendent of police Ramesh Kharel told the German Press Agency, DPA: “He reportedly hit the water surface with his chest and went missing soon afterwards … We searched for him the entire afternoon but were unable to find a trace of him.”
He added: “We have suspended the search for the night and will resume at first light tomorrow.”
The search continued Saturday 6 February.
Added 11 Feb 2010: News reports from Nepal confirmed that Christoph’s body was recovered from Phewa Tal lake on 11 February 2010.
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February 7th, 2010 at 3:51 am
It’s always saddening to me when I hear stories like this.
The sport continues to lose great people simply because they become complacent about the real risks we take every time we venture into that third dimension!
I’m sorry that Christoph’s family and friends have to suffer his loss and offer my sincere condolences.
I’m also sorry that our sport takes yet another “knock” – this sort of thing only serves to provide ammo for those uninitiated folk who would brand us all as reckless fools.
Perhaps if the news report went something like “Swimmer dies after 30 foot dive goes wrong” ……………
February 7th, 2010 at 10:51 am
unfortunately i watched this horrific event and am so sorry for his close friends, some of whom were also lakeside to witness it, and his family who will surely feel his loss each and every day. we are all so shocked by this incident and cannot believe he is really gone.
this is not the first time i have seen pilots here jump from their harnesses and hit the water hard. it’s easy to build the perception that water is safe and that’s why we fly over it to practice our maneuvers. in christoph’s case, he never looked at the horizon, he was looking down at the water, which no doubt contributed to his inability to judge his height and appropriately recognize the danger.
this was truly a diving accident and not a flying accident and christoph from all observations and reports was a very serious, solid and safe pilot who made one wrong judgement that cost him everything. life is fragile. guard it as best you can with joy tempered by reason.
February 7th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
I actually prefer the approach I have seen some Kiwi pilots take when asked \is it safe?\:
\Are you kidding? It’s f***ing dangerous! You gotta be f***ing crazy to do this!\ – instead of bland assurances about training, equipment standards, reserve etc. Requiescat in pace.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:27 am
I am so sorry to hear about this tragic incident and my deepest sympathy to his family and friends.
However, think of the physics of jumping into water from height. If you jump from 30 metres as has been indicated, then you will hit the water at 87 kph – just over 50 mph. At that speed water is like concrete, particularly if you hit it flat as Christoph appeared to. Obviously very painful at best and fatal at worst.
Hopefully no one else will try this again.
February 9th, 2010 at 6:39 am
my sympathy for friends and family –
somebody mentioned it is not a flying accident -
let me add as a long time seaplane pilot and paraglider – yes this is a flying accident
judging altitude over water is one of the most difficult exercises for pilots and many airplanes/pilots are lost due to pilot misjudgement of height.
Without proper training do not even consider to jump out of your harness – simply never ever do it.
February 10th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Christoph was such a firendly, open minded guy…. I still cannot believe that I’m never gonna meet him again. My deepest condolence to his family and close friends.
I’ll keep him in my mind….
February 11th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
we meet each other in Nepal thanks to astrid and steph and we had laughting a lot, spent really good time in your company, always you motivated the group. You really really were a good, nice, friendly guy and a good romantic singer. I’m so so so sad. Bye Chris, I will always remember.
February 12th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
Spent a fabulous month in Nepal with Christoph , every morning for breakfast and Acro thru out the day and beers in the evening . He will be sadly missed . My sympathy to his friends Steph and Asrid and his family . Will always cherish his guitar playing and the card tricks and the fun moments he brought into my life .
Miss you Christoph
February 13th, 2010 at 5:52 am
My sympathy to Chritoph’s friends and family. I am trying to track down a Canadian girl, Elizabeth, who witnessed this tragic accident as well and wrote her family about it. Does anyone know of her current whereabouts? It sounds like many of you were at Phewa Tal lake, I believe she was hanging out with Christoph’s team members/friends. Her family needs to hear from her, if you know her, please pass this along. Thanks
February 13th, 2010 at 10:01 am
OM MANI PÉMÉ HOUNG
french language
Toutes mes positives pensées vont vers toi et ta famille , tes amis proches,
j’ai volez avec Christopher pendant deux mois , j’ai manger, parler , fait la fĂŞtes, nous nous sommes connue dans la bonne humeur et cela tous les jours.
j’ai assister a ton dernier numĂ©ro sur scène, dans ce théâtre himalayens ,tu prĂ©fĂ©rais de loin dans la vie ĂŞtre acteur plutĂ´t que spectateur, ton dernier jump est parfait, il as Ă©tĂ© terriblement parfait, ton corps est remonte 7 jours après, merci c’est mieux pour ta famille, pour tes amis et pour moi mĂŞme,
Une messe tibétaine a été donner pour que tu puisse facilement continuer ton chemin.
Nous avons tous collectivement penser très très fort a toi , je suis intimement sur que tu a trouver une totale liberté.
Encore merci pour tous , je souhaitais souligner le fait que , le jour du DĂ©part de Christopher, sont saut n’Ă©tait que de quinze mètres, et que ce saut as Ă©tĂ© complètement purs, volontaire et bien au delĂ de 3 dimensions.
All my positives thinks are going to you, your family and your friends.
I had been flying with Christopher during 2 monthes, we met every day to fly together, eat at night for funny dinner,
played billard and made parties. Every day we met each other in a really good mood and enjoyed the day.
You told me once : You know Alan, I don’t like to be in the scene, I prefer to be on the scene. On this himalayan’s
theatre, you made your last show prefering being the actor neither then the spectator. A perfect jump, terrible jump.
A tibetan mass had been celebrated to help you to continue your way. We all thought very strong to you and I am
really convinced that you found your freedom there, totale freedom. Thanks to all for him. I would like to precise that
the day of chris’departure, he jumped from 15 meters, this jump had been totaly volontary and pure, and well
beyond our 3 dimensions way of life.
OM MANI PÉMÉ HOUNG
February 13th, 2010 at 11:17 am
I have spent three fabulous weeks in Nepal flying with some acro paragliders. I will remember Christopher as a fabulous acro paraglider, and a great guitarist. He was a very friendly and nice person, and I was so glad to have met people like him during my trip.
I have a big thought for all his family, his friends specially Astrid and Stefan, and all his friends of the acro van.
why like this…
February 14th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
I am so sorry to hear about this tragedy.
I still remember Christoph, the great fellow I met during my instructor time at SGS.
My deepest sympathy is with his familiy and friends.
Sometimes life is not fair.
Will always think of you Chris.
February 14th, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Many thanks for the condolence from all people who know my brother. Please apologize my English – it isn´t so good.
We all are shocked about the death of our brother/ son. We have some emails of Christoph from nepal, but in memory of him we were happy to hear some stories, thoughts about him, taks with him…. If you think you could help us and report about his last two months please write at: sattev@aol.com
Thanks for your help!