A British parachutist Thomas Aitken was detained in connection with the death of Orkut Baysal, one of the athletes of the national paragliding team after two paragliders collided and fell during landing in the country’s most popular tourist destination, Fethiye district of Muğla late Sunday.
Aitken, 45, was taken to the courthouse after gendarmerie formalities.
National paragliders Andaç Ünsal and Baysal made a tandem flight from the 1,700-meter runway of Babadağ in Ölüdeniz District. At the same time, Aitken made a single jump from the 1,200-meter track.
They collided mid-air owing to windy conditions during descent, which caused the parachutes to land on a poolside after crashing into a hotel building.
Health and gendarmerie teams were dispatched to the region soon after the incident. The injured paragliders were taken to Fethiye State Hospital for medical aid. However, Baysal, who was seriously injured, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
