Bir Billing’s Bumpy Sky: The Untold Story of a Paragliding Paradise and its Peril
Picture this: a mountain playground that lures adrenaline junkies from every corner of the globe. That’s Bir Billing for you, the unofficial Mecca of paragliding in India’s Himachal Pradesh. But as the wind whistles over the snow‑capped peaks, it also hisses a cautionary tale.
Crash Course: The Numbers Doesn’t Lie
- 2016 saw three paragliders meet their fate within 22 days.
- This year, we’re staring at a fourth loss—Sir Ng Kok Choong, a 53‑year‑old ex‑commando turned leisure‑flight enthusiast, became the latest casualty.
- On the same day protagonists from Spain went missing—yet another reminder that the sky’s drama isn’t limited to one expedition.
Why the Bad News
Ng’s last flight began at 11 am. Suddenly, the wind sprinted up in the Dhauladhar range, catching him off‑guard. Talk about weather hijacking a live broadcast! Our hero aborted his flight, warned fellow sky‑fans, and then—poof—vanished.
Rescue teams, often using helicopters, found his body two days later. A winch‑down by a rookie firefighter led to the grim discovery.
Heads‑Up! The Aftermath
Post‑mortem examinations identified a severe head injury as the cause of death. It’s a stark reminder that even seasoned pilots can fall to the ground when the wind changes its tune.
Ng’s Legacy: A Hero Beyond the Sky
Just last month, he was a hero on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, saving a mother and her daughter during a 7.4‑magnitude quake. He’d been at a paragliding competition when the tremors hit, but he didn’t let the chaos stop him from pulling out a trapped family.
“I’ll always remember how he told everyone the Earth looked glorious from up there,” says the Belgian paraglider Francois de Neuville. “He was a great friend and a great man.”
Given this background, his unfortunate demise feels like a chapter in a tragedy where a fearless fighter turned amateur sky‑catcher just can’t escape fate.
Word From the Experts
Singapore’s Air Sports Federation (AFS) secretary, Christopher Hsieh, said:
- Bir Billing is “not for beginners” – the winds there usually sail smooth unless a sudden, unexpected change lurks ahead.
- “The safest part of any flight is the take‑off. Landings are compulsory; if anything feels off, loading a parachute or canceling a flight is our duty,” he advised.
He noted that “climate change” might be a factor, but it’s not that simple. Confidence, experience, and training should carry you higher than any environmental hiccup.
Family in Despair
Ng’s wife, Sharon (52), and the kids—Marcus (28) and his siblings (26 and 22)—arrived in India to bring his body home. The Singapore High Commission in New Delhi is offering consular support. The parents continue to readjust to an imbalanced reality: “I still trying to get to terms,” Sharon shared, reflecting a world that cannot accommodate unexpected loss.
Takeaway: Keep Your Head (and Heart) Safe
Dreaming of the sky is thrilling but beware—mythic mountains don’t hold anything dear. Whether you’re a high‑flying professional or a mid‑level aerial enthusiast, treat wind changes like a weather update: read it, respect it, and, if uncertain, abort. In the skies, your life shouldn’t be a risk just for the hash of the moment.
