A 52-year-old Florida man walked away unharmed after his powered paraglider dropped 500 feet out of the sky and splashed into the ocean on Friday, authorities said.
The dramatic fall happened just before noon off the coast of Singer Island near Riviera Beach, the Riviera Beach Police Department said. Bystanders captured the incident on cellphone video.
Sarah Williamson, a lifeguard with Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue, told WFLX-TV that she first noticed the paraglider was in trouble upon seeing that he was “going in an interesting pattern” after hitting an apparent wind gust.
“I just started running, and I radioed my other partner,” she said. “We grabbed our rescue tube and our rescue board and paddled out in tandem.”
PARACHUTIST BRIEFLY HANGS ABOVE END ZONE DURING ARMED FORCES BOWL PREGAME MISHAP
Beachgoers witnessed the paraglider fall 500 feet into the ocean off the coast of Singer Island near Riviera Beach on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (Riviera Beach Police Department)
The lifeguards and nearby beachgoers immediately swam out to help the man, police said.
People swam out to help the uninjured paraglider, and brought him and his craft to shore, police said. (Riviera Beach Police Department)
Williamson said a snorkeler dove underwater and helped free the man from a tangle of paraglider lines.
“(The snorkeler) was a godsend because we did not have a mask, and he was able to get underwater and free the man while we secured him,” she told the outlet.
The paraglider, from Pompano Beach, had lifted off from Ocean Cay Park in Jupiter and sailed south until the 500-foot fall into the water, police said. (Riviera Beach Police Department)
LA DEPUTIES CAUGHT ON CAMERA RACING INTO FOGGY OCEAN TO RESCUE DISORIENTED PARAGLIDERS
Police said the rescuers brought the 52-year-old paraglider and his craft to shore. He was not injured.
The paraglider, from Pompano Beach, had lifted off from Ocean Cay Park in Jupiter and sailed south until the 500-foot fall into the water.
The man’s identity has yet to be released to the public.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Williamson said she was “quite blown away” to learn how far the paraglider fell before making the unplanned splashdown.
“Five hundred feet is an incredible thing to survive,” she said.
News
Kouri Richins speaks at her sentencing hearing after being convicted of murder, says six words and has her lawyer release a six-minute video that leaves the entire courtroom silent—then horrified
Six Words, Six Minutes, and a Courtroom in Shock: The Sentencing of Kouri Richins In a courtroom already heavy with anticipation, the sentencing hearing of Kouri Richins took a turn that few present would forget. What was expected to be a procedural conclusion to a high-profile murder case instead became a moment of intense emotional […]
Kouri Richins Case Deepens: Viral Dating Profile Leak Fuels Rumors of a Hidden Romance Behind Husband’s Tragic Death
Dating Profile Leak, Arrest Shock, and Explosive Allegations: The Controversial Case of Kouri Richins In a case that has already drawn intense public attention, the story of Utah widow and former real estate agent Kouri Richins has taken another dramatic turn. Following her arrest in connection with the death of her husband, new controversies have […]
Explosive Twist in Kouri Richins Scandal: Leaked Dating Profile Raises Questions About a Secret Relationship and Husband’s Death
Dating Profile Leak, Arrest Shock, and Explosive Allegations: The Controversial Case of Kouri Richins In a case that has already drawn intense public attention, the story of Utah widow and former real estate agent Kouri Richins has taken another dramatic turn. Following her arrest in connection with the death of her husband, new controversies have […]
Detective Kouri Richins’ dating profile was leaked online after her arrest—was her lover actually the one behind her husband’s death?
Dating Profile Leak, Arrest Shock, and Explosive Allegations: The Controversial Case of Kouri Richins In a case that has already drawn intense public attention, the story of Utah widow and former real estate agent Kouri Richins has taken another dramatic turn. Following her arrest in connection with the death of her husband, new controversies have […]
Virgin River Season 8 Could Change EVERYTHING With Its Wildest, Most Unexpected Couples Ever
Season 8 of Virgin River is already shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable and emotionally charged chapters in the show’s history—and if early hints and fan theories are anything to go by, viewers may soon witness the most shocking romantic pairings the series has ever attempted. For a show that has built […]
LATEST: A new Netflix film starring Sally Field has officially become the internet’s latest obsession after an unbelievably stunning scene sent social media into a complete meltdown
The internet has a new obsession—and this time, it’s not a viral dance, a trending scandal, or a surprise celebrity appearance. Instead, it’s a single, breathtaking moment from a newly released Netflix film starring the legendary Sally Field. Within hours of its debut, the scene in question ignited a digital wildfire, spreading across platforms and […]
End of content
No more pages to load
