Eagle brings down paraglider over Himalayas

Incredible footage from a helmet camera shows the moment two eagles attacked a paraglider over the Himalayas only for one to become tangled in the cables, causing both bird and man to come crashing down to earth.

Vladimir Tsar'kov was paragliding over the Indian Himalayas when the two birds of prey swooped, one flying below him and the other continuing up into his parachute and becoming entangled.

With his chute rendered ineffective, the 25-year-old Russian was forced to deploy his reserve parachute as he struggled to regain a modicum of control and began to plummet to the ground.

Fortunately the experienced thrillseeker had the skill to bring himself down in a clearing, although he did not come to a complete halt until he had been dragged him through some uncomfortable looking undergrowth.

After confirming his own wellbeing, Mr Tsar'kov turned his attention to the still trapped eagle.

It took him nearly ten minutes to untangle the bird, which then flew off apparently unscathed.

The Himalayas are popular with paragliders and flights often take place close to the eagles, which gliders use to guide them to columns of warm air that help them soar higher.

Read on ...