Rescuers found two deceased bodies on September 30 after a report of a hang glider crash. The deadly accident happened in Georgia just off of Lookout Mountain, according to PEOPLE.
Videos by Suggest
Hang Glider Crashes After Launch, Killing Two Experienced Flyers
The Dade County Emergency Management shared a press release on Facebook concerning the incident. Emergency responders received a call about two people who crashed after flying in tandem.
Despite dispatching West Brow Fire and Rescue and Dade County Mountain Rescue, it mentioned having “limited manpower” for the rescue. “As team members repelled down the mountain, other teams hiked up the mountain from a private roadway,” it said.
The two victims were unfortunately already deceased by the time they got there. “On arrival first responders determined both subjects on the hang glider had passed away from traumatic injuries,” it continued.
This incident soon turned into a body recovery effort. They requested air support from Georgia Aviation due to the extreme conditions at the location. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources also aided with the body recovery.
According to Local 3 News, Dade County Coroner Courtney Gross identified one of the victims as 37-year-old Richard Westmoreland. His father reportedly said in a Facebook post that Westmoreland just flew in from Switzerland. He was also planning to spend the winter gliding in New Zealand.
“He loved flying, and there is no shame in dying doing something you love,” said the father, Jay Westmoreland.
Another Victim Identified
The father of the second victim identified him as Tim Glenshaw in a Facebook post. In memory of Glenshaw, many who knew him have shared posts. One of these posts included a YouTube video of him flying, posted by the Lookout Mountain Flight Park.
Concerning the cause of the crash, the coroner believes the victims’ equipment malfunctioned. Despite using the park to hang glide, the equipment allegedly didn’t belong to the park.
Westmoreland’s brother, Ashton, spoke with News Channel 9 about the horrific loss. Ashton described his brother as “everything you could ask for in a big brother.”
“He was someone that was involved and excelled in sports, did well academically, was popular amongst his peers, and wasn’t too cool to still hang out with me,” said Ashton.
Ashton mentioned how skilled of a hang glider his brother was. “Working back and forth as an instructor/tandem hang gliding pilot for Kitty Hawk Kites and Lookout Mountain Flight park, he honed these skills and then set out for more advanced popular hang gliding destinations.”
The victim’s brother remembers him for his adventurous spirit. “He was taken from us doing what he loved most in this world,” Ashton continued.
“And I know he wouldn’t have had it any other way. He touched more hearts and adventurous souls than anybody else I know, and as far as I know, there isn’t a single person who could say a single bad thing about him.”