No Oxygen Mask... Chinese Paraglider Makes Dramatic Return After Ascending to 8,600 Meters

Chinese Paragliding Enthusiast Ascends to 8,598 Meters Due to Strong Winds
Dramatic Ordeal Captured on Video
Successfully Lands Relying on Radio
"Oxygen Was Extremely Lacking"

A Chinese paraglider has drawn widespread attention after it was revealed that he dramatically survived an ascent to approximately 8,600 meters above sea level due to an accident. This altitude is close to the height of Mount Everest (8,849 meters) or the cruising altitude of commercial aircraft. According to Yonhap News on May 28, citing the South China Morning Post (SCMP) in Hong Kong, "Feng Yuzhang (55), a paragliding enthusiast with five years of experience, survived a near-death experience on May 24."

Chinese paragliding enthusiast Feng Yuzhang (55) dramatically survived after ascending to approximately 8600 meters above sea level due to an accident. China Bilibili

According to Yonhap News, Feng realized around 11 a.m. that he was being lifted by strong winds while testing new equipment at a training site in the Qilian Mountains in Gansu Province, northwestern China, at an altitude of 3,000 meters. After ascending to the ridge, he was sucked into a cumulus cloud and remained airborne for more than an hour, eventually reaching an altitude of 8,598 meters above sea level. At that time, the temperature was observed to be minus 35 degrees Celsius, and the wind speed was about 25 meters per second.

A camera mounted on Feng's glider captured him surrounded by ice, struggling to descend in the thin air. Without an oxygen mask, his face was fully exposed to the extreme cold, and his hands became frostbitten.

Feng then attempted to descend by relying on his radio and reportedly managed to land near Qifeng Zhuangxiang in Gansu Province without serious injury. He showed his frostbitten hands to local media and described the critical situation, saying, "I felt that the oxygen was extremely lacking."

News of Feng's miraculous survival prompted online users to comment that he was "blessed by heaven." At such high altitudes, one can face severe dangers such as hypoxia, hypothermia, and lightning strikes. The risks are even greater without an oxygen mask, as in Feng's case.

However, the Gansu Province Air Sports Association reportedly imposed a fine and a six-month flight ban on Feng for flying in an unauthorized location and airspace. According to related regulations, organizations or individuals engaged in air sports must register their flight activities in advance with the air traffic management department and may only fly after receiving approval. Aviation expert Wang Yanan pointed out to the media that "if a civil aircraft passes through the airspace in that region, there could be potential risks to civil aviation safety."