One Killed In Glider Crash At Royal Birkdale Golf Club

The victim was piloting a paramotor, or powered paraglider.
A man has died after a paramotor crashed at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club
A man has died after a paramotor crashed at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club
PA Ready News UK

A man has died after a paramotor crashed at a golf club, police have said.

The crash, at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport on Thursday evening, was originally believed to have involved amicrolight aircraft but on Friday a Merseyside Police spokesman said it involved a paramotor, or powered paraglider.

The glider crashed on the Open Championship golf course at around 7pm on Thursday.

Police said a man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fire engines and the ambulance service attended along with police and screens were erected around the crash site.

A police spokesman said: “Following enquiries we can confirm the incident at Royal Birkdale Golf Course yesterday evening involved a paramotor, not a microlight as originally reported.”

A police investigation is underway on behalf of the coroner to establish the identity of the man and the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Footage from the Liverpool Echo news site showed at least four police cars and two fire engines at the scene.

The deceased man was piloting a paramotor aircraft at the time of the fatal crash - not a microlight https://t.co/lX8qNrIb2o

— Liverpool Echo (@LivEchonews) April 12, 2019

Merseyside Police said at the time: “Merseyside Fire and Rescue are at the scene extinguishing the fire caused when the aircraft hit the ground.”

Road closures remain in place on the Coastal Road including Shore Road and Weld Road and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Royal Birkdale is one of 14 venues around the country that host the world-famous Open Championship golf tournament.

Established in 1889, the club last held the Open in 2017.

We can confirm we are tonight, Thursday, 11 April, at 7pm, dealing with a microlight aircraft crash in #Birkdale

Road closures are in place on the Coastal Road including Shore Road and Weld Road and we advise motorists to avoid the area.👉

https://t.co/9aR0UFYMU2 pic.twitter.com/kZ4npSqZIY

— Merseyside Police (@MerseyPolice) April 11, 2019
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