02 May 2023 , 07:50
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A British paraglider has been detained following a fatal mid-air collision with another skydiver which sent both men plummeting onto a hotel roof.
The British national - locally named as 45-year-old Thomas Aitken - is said to have been detained by the police after Orkut Baysal, 30, died following their mid-air smash.
The horrific crash in windy conditions happened in the Fethiye district, in the province of Mugla, southwestern Turkey, on Sunday.
Baysal and fellow Turkish national paraglider Andac Unsal, 45, were performing a tandem flight at the same time that Aitken was carrying out a solo jump.
But during their descent, they collided, with both skydivers crashing into a hotel roof before landing on the edge of the resort's swimming pool.
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Mr Baysal did not survive the incident (Newsflash)
An investigation is ongoing following the death of Mr Baysal (Newsflash)According to reports in Turkish media, the two parachutes became entangled in the collision just 20 metres (65 feet) off the ground.
Local police and medics were sent to the crash site, with the injured paragliders taken to the Fethiye State Hospital for treatment - but Baysal died from multiple injuries.
Both Aitken and Unsal were injured and the British man was detained in police custody pending the outcome of the investigation.
Turkish police are investigating the cause of the collision and whether there was any potential negligence on behalf of those involved.
The deadly incident has raised questions regarding safety regulations and practices in the paragliding community.
The investigation is ongoing.