Sacha Dench, dubbed the ‘human swan’ for flying around the UK in a motorised paraglider has been seriously injured in a mid-air crash.
She fell from the sky after colliding in mid-air with a crew member on her 3,300-mile journey.
Dan Burton, 54 (in a separate paramotor), died in the aftermath of the horrific smash.
Miss Dench, 43 years old, is still in hospital with serious injuries.
The biologist, a cousin of Dame Judi dench, was given her name after she raised awareness about the plight Bewick’s swans through flying from Russia to Britain.
As part of the Round Britain Climate Challenge, Miss Dench was attempting to circumnavigate the UK with Mr Burton.
(Image: PA)
They were in the final stages when disaster struck.
Before the November climate summit in Glasgow, they aimed to fly around Britain using paramotors powered by wind and green electricity.
My Burton posted a final picture on Saturday morning at 8am. It showed clouds rolling over hills near Tongue, an area in the Scottish Highlands.
(Image: PA)
Emergency services were dispatched to the scene of the accident neat Lochinver at around 4.45pm. Despite paramedics’ best efforts, Mr. Burton couldn’t be saved.
Miss Dench’s condition appears to be not life-threatening.
The expedition’s chief executive is Conservation Without Borders’ Australian native, who now lives in Bristol.
(Image: Stratford Archive)
The charity has released a statement: “In the last stages of the Round Britain Climate Challenge, a major incident occurred involving the lead and support paramotors.
“We are very sorry to have to confirm that Dan Burton, the support paramotorist, has died.
“Sacha Dench is seriously injured and is being treated in hospital.”
It added both were ‘highly experienced paramotorists’ and as a result of the accident the challenge has been halted.
(Image: PA)
Miss Dench is known for her work with migratory species but has since turned her focus to climate change after she lost her family home to bushfires in Sydney last year.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes as well as Dame Judi supported her previous missions, which included a flight over the Atlas mountain range.
Paraglider Miss Dench was using a specially modified machine that enabled her to fly anywhere she needed to recharge her paramotor.
(Image: PA)
The site of the crash has become popular with paragliders.
Hugh Morrison, councillor for North, West and Central Sutherland, said: “We are seeing more paragliders in recent years, especially in and around Durness.
“It is shocking and upsetting this has happened.’
The British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association said it would be undertaking a ‘formal investigation’ into the accident.
A spokesman said: “We cannot speculate on the causes of the incident. The investigation report will be published in due course.
“The BHPA can confirm that both pilots were BHPA members and they were qualified to fly powered paragliders.’
A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed Mr Burton’s death in a collision involving two paramotors.
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