Paraglider rescued from Vistula River near Grudziądz and hospitalized after crash

Emergency response on the Vistula

An aviation accident occurred in the village of Rozgarty, located in Grudziądz County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, shortly after 13:00 on Saturday, 3 October 2026. A paraglider operating in the area lost altitude and crashed directly into the waters of the Vistula River. The impact occurred in the central section of the river channel, creating an immediate hazard for the pilot. Emergency services in the region received the alert and initiated a coordinated rescue operation across the waterway. At 13:04, the Provincial Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Toruń released an official dispatch detailing the initial response efforts.

A paraglider fell into the water in the middle of the Vistula. An attempt to reach the victim is underway. Four fire service units are on site.

Water extraction and medical resuscitation

Four fire service crews arrived at the riverbank in Rozgarty to execute the rescue operation alongside police officers and an emergency medical team. The firefighters utilized specialized water rescue equipment, including motorized rescue boats, to navigate the river current and reach the fallen paraglider in the middle of the Vistula. Rescuers reached the victim, secured him, and pulled him out of the water onto the deck of the rescue boat.

Emergency responders reported that the man showed no vital signs at the time he was extracted from the river. Firefighters initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately while the boat was still on the water. The resuscitation maneuvers continued without interruption as the boat reached the shore and the patient was transferred to the awaiting medical team. Paramedics sustained emergency resuscitation efforts inside the ambulance while preparing the man for immediate transport.

Condition reports and hospital transfer

At 13:46, the press officer of the Municipal Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Grudziądz, Junior Brigadier Paweł Korgol, announced that the paraglider had been recovered from the river and was undergoing treatment inside an ambulance. Responders noted that the pilot's condition required urgent medical assistance following the extraction. Police authorities subsequently confirmed that the rescued man remained unconscious during the operation. Senior Aspirant Łukasz Kowalczyk of the Grudziądz municipal police described the rescue actions and the patient's transfer.

The fire department was operating on site and retrieved an unconscious man from the water. He is being transported by ambulance to the hospital. Police officers will now conduct activities to clarify the circumstances of this event.

Investigation into flight circumstances

Following the initial resuscitation and emergency treatment at the riverside, the ambulance transported the paraglider to a regional hospital for further care. The exact health status of the pilot remained unconfirmed in the immediate aftermath of the hospital admission. Emergency units concluded the active river rescue phase after securing the paraglider's gear and clearing the water.

Police officers from the Grudziądz headquarters secured the site in Rozgarty to carry out investigative procedures. Investigators are conducting formal inquiries to determine the specific circumstances that caused the paraglider to fall into the Vistula River. The investigation will review the equipment used during the flight, environmental factors, and the flight path leading up to the accident near Grudziądz.