British man rescued after losing control of hang glider in RAK

A British man was rescued after crashing his hang glider into a tree in the mountains in Ras Al Khaimah on Saturday.

David Willis, a flight simulator instructor in Dubai, was hang gliding from Jebel Jais at midday when strong winds caused him to crash land in a tree. He said he had been flying at 1,000m above sea level when he lost control of the glider upon his descent.

"I was hang gliding from Jebel Jais and when I came in to land there was a gust of wind which made me hit the top of a small tree about 5 to 6 metres high and then landed heavily on the ground into a fence," he told The National.

The 78-year-old man was spotted by Pakistani men working in the area, who called police.

An ambulance took Mr Willis to Saqr Hospital at 4.30pm where he was treated for some fractures and other minor injuries.

"I broke three ribs and got a bit of a neck injury but I'm okay and being released from the hospital," he said on Monday. He has been hang gliding for about 45 years.

"It was the first time for me in Jebel Jais, I normally go to Abu Dhabi in a place that has a man-made hill were people usually hang glide," said Mr Willis.