At 1252 the emergency services were notified of a speed glider accident in Loen in Stryn.
All emergency services moved out, in addition to the rescue helicopter. A man was located in difficult terrain at an altitude of approximately 650 metres. The speed glider was retrieved from the terrain by rescue helicopter. He was later confirmed dead by the doctor in the rescue helicopter.
In a press release on Friday evening, the police write that the deceased is 35-year-old Arne-Christian Eide from Alver municipality.
The police release the information in consultation with the next of kin, and at their request.
– A great role model
Eide was a member of air sports clubs both in Bergen and at Voss.
– It was with great sadness that I heard that he had died, says manager of the Bergen Hanggliding and Paragliding Club Terje Hopen to BA.
He knew Eide well through the club, where the 35-year-old previously sat on the board.
– Arne-Christian was an experienced and skilled pilot and instructor. He was a great role model for many in the club, and a good contributor. This is a big loss for the club and the speedgliding community, says Hopen, and adds:
– Our thoughts go out to everyone who was close to him.
– Spin on the screen
Eide had a background as a BMX cyclist, and was active in Extreme Sports Week in Voss. In 2021, he told about his love for speed gliding to Newspaper Nordhordland.
Operations manager Knut Dahl-Michelsen in the West police district says that there were several others present when the accident took place.
– When he did not land at the agreed place, they notified the police, he tells BA.
The police informs NRK that witnesses observed that the man had a difficult “takeoff”.
– The person got a spin on the screen, and then he disappeared out of sight, says general manager of Loen Skylift Richard Grov, who quickly found out about the accident, to NRK.
The cause of the accident is unknown, and the case will be investigated by the local police to try to clarify this.
The municipality’s crisis team has been contacted to assist those who were present.
– Absolutely tragic
Head of hang-gliding and paragliding in the Norwegian Air Sports Association, Trond Nilsen, himself knew Eide through the air sports environment.
– I am responsible for all our members, and it always affects me strongly when this happens, no matter who it is. But it is clear that it gets closer when there are people you have met many times, says Nilsen to BA.
He states that the air sports association has been spared fatal accidents for two and a half years.
– We had hoped that it would last longer. All aerial sports are associated with a certain risk, which one does their best to keep as low as possible. Most of us think that the gain cancels out the risk, says Nilsen, and continues:
– It is possible to do this safely. We have athletes who have been at it for over 40 years. But when something like this happens, it’s just completely tragic.
