Paraglider crashes off Outer Banks, drowns as rescuers tried to free him, NC cops say

A man piloting a paraglider drowned off North Carolina’s Outer Banks early Tuesday, after he crashed into the ocean and the weight of the equipment pulled him from the grasp of rescuers, according to the Kill Devil Hills Police Department.

The name of 52-year-old pilot was not been released, but his last known address was in Kill Devil Hills, police said. He was identified as William B. Koebernick by OBXToday.com.

Investigators say the pilot crashed 50 yards off shore near the popular Avalon Pier at about 6:55 a.m. A witness immediately called 911, “then grabbed a wet suit and two surfboards to attempt a rescue,” police said in the release.

“Kill Devil Hills officers arrived on scene and were able to lower a rescue rope to the victim. The pilot was alive but he was trapped in his harness,” the release said.

“Between the efforts of the (good) Samaritan and the officers, the pilot was temporarily stabilized. However, the weight of the paraglider’s motor, the entanglement of the harness and the persistent wave action caused the pilot to be pulled underwater. Despite repeated efforts to save him, the pilot succumbed to drowning.”

The man was cut free and life saving efforts were attempted with no success, the release said.

Police report the ocean had two- to four-foot swells at the time, and the water temperature was a brisk 54 degrees.

“The Department would like to thank the Samaritan on scene who attempted to rescue the pilot,” the release said. “The bravery and selflessness of this individual cannot be overstated.”

The death comes amid a state of emergency declared during the coronavirus pandemic by coastal Dare County, which includes much of the Outer Banks. The Dare County Sheriff’s Office is preventing tourists from reaching the islands in an attempt to stop the spread of the potentially fatal virus.

This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 2:37 PM with the headline "Paraglider crashes off Outer Banks, drowns as rescuers tried to free him, NC cops say."