Shivering bloke ‘cloud sucked’ 8,500m into the sky and left covered in ice crystals

Peng Yujiang, 55, with four-and-a-half years paraglider pilot experience, clamed he had no intention to fly on Saturday and was testing the equipment’s comfort level when he was sucked into the air

A paraglider has survived being shot 8,500m (27,800ft) into the sky when he flew a ‘cloud suck’, Chinese state media has reported.

Peng Yujiang was 3,000m above the sea level over the Qilian mountains, in north-west China when he hit a rare updraft or air current known as a ‘cloud suck’ on Saturday. The 55-year-old was shot 5,000m into a cloud formation to altitudes almost as high as Mount Everest.

Ice crystals covered his face as the temperatures plummeted to -40C and breathing would have been very difficult as the air is incredibly thin at that altitude. Footage of the helpless daredevil was captured on a camera mounted on the glider Mr Peng was testing out and uploaded to Douyin, China’s version of TikTok.

The video showed ice over his eyebrows, eye lashes and helmet as he battled to control the small aircraft. He told Chinese Media Group: “It was terrifying… Everything was white.

“I couldn’t see any direction. Without the compass, I wouldn’t have known which way I was going.

“I thought I was flying straight, but in reality, I was spinning. I wanted to come down quickly, but I just couldn’t. I was lifted higher and higher until I was inside the cloud,” he said.

The paraglider with four-and-a-half years experience admitted he might have lost consciousness during the descent and said trying to regain control as he spiralled in the air was the hardest part. The Chinese authorities are said to be investigating the incident.

Mr Peng has been suspended for six months because the flight was unauthorised, media run by the Chinese state reported. Mr Peng claimed to have no intention of flying on Saturday.

He said he was simply sitting in the tiny air craft on the ground testing its comfort when he was lifted into the air by strong winds before being pulled into the ‘cloud suck’.

Last year, a mum was left fearing for her teenage daughter’s life when a paraglider crash-landed into the young girl during a family meal on their holiday in Turkey. Lily Nichol, 15, is now battling for survival in hospital following the freak accident that occurred on the final day of their holiday.

The teen sustained critical injuries, including a brain haemorrhage, a fractured jaw, and a potentially broken back, with further surgeries scheduled. The girl’s mother Lyndsey set up a GoFundMe page to cover the mounting medical costs, as the family travelled without insurance.

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