Comments on: Paraglider pilot missing in Pokhara after tragic accident

By: Paragliding Top 10 stories from xcmag.com | Paragliding, hang gliding, speed flying and acro from Cross Country magazine

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:51:12 +0000

[...] 7 Missing in Pokhara Another sad story. German acro pilot Christoph Andreas Sattler, 26, drowned in Phewa Tal in Pokhara, Nepal, after a stunt went tragically wrong. [...]

By: Eva Sattler

Eva Sattler — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:46:21 +0000

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!

By: Christian H.

Christian H. — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:13:19 +0000

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.

By: Laure LOPEZ

Laure LOPEZ — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 11:17:44 +0000

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…

By: Alain

Alain — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 10:01:19 +0000

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 fêtes, nous nous sommes connue dans la bonne humeur et cela tous les jours.
j’ai assister a ton dernier numéro sur scène, dans ce théâtre himalayens ,tu préférais de loin dans la vie être acteur plutôt que spectateur, ton dernier jump est parfait, il as été terriblement parfait, ton corps est remonte 7 jours après, merci c’est mieux pour ta famille, pour tes amis et pour moi même,
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 Départ de Christopher, sont saut n’était que de quinze mètres, et que ce saut as été complètement purs, volontaire et bien au delà 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

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 05:52:36 +0000

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

By: matthew hall

matthew hall — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:05:24 +0000

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

By: Sophie Crabère

Sophie Crabère — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:27:38 +0000

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.

By: Gunnar Bischof

Gunnar Bischof — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:22:19 +0000

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….

By: Axel Schäfer

Axel Schäfer — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:39:41 +0000

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.

By: Patrick Buxton

Patrick Buxton — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:27:30 +0000

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.

By: Hugh McElrath

Hugh McElrath — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:01:51 +0000

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.

By: Isabella

Isabella — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:51:12 +0000

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.

By: Chris Sowerby

Chris Sowerby — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:51:48 +0000

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” ……………