Paraglider Crashes Into Mountainside In Soboba: CalFire

SAN JACINTO, CA — Serious injuries were reported Tuesday as a woman crashed into a mountainside near a Riverside County paragliding location, the fire department reported. The woman was hoisted out of the location and taken to a waiting ambulance, which rushed her to the hospital.

The accident was reported about 11 a.m. in the 200 block of Soboba Road, just north of the Soboba Springs Country Club, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

An agency spokeswoman said the victim, whose identity was not released, impacted rugged terrain hard, leaving her with unspecified injuries and unable to walk without assistance.

"Firefighters hiked to the patient's location and have made positive contact with the patient," April Newman said in a press report. "CAL FIRE Helicopter H301 has been requested to hoist the patient from the mountain side."

The woman's injuries were initially reported as "moderate to minor" but later revised to "major."

The victim had departed Soboba Paragliding, according to the fire department.

The facility requires training before allowing visitors to pilot their own rig, which consists of an overhead wing-like chute that enables users to soar, relying on thermals and winds for lift.

— Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone / City News Service contributed to this report