One person died and another person was rescued yesterday after the ultra-light glider in which they were riding crashed into the ocean near 120 Ocean Blvd. in Southern Shores, according to news releases by the Town of Southern Shores.
The Town reported that the aircraft malfunctioned and crashed around 10 a.m. yesterday. One of its passengers was rescued and safely brought to shore soon after it fell into the ocean, the Town said. The body of the second passenger was recovered yesterday about 3 p.m.
Neither of the glider passengers is being identified at this time.
Some television media sources reported that the rescued passenger was injured in the crash. They described the aircraft alternately as a hang glider.
In April 2020 a Kill Devil Hills man drowned after his motorized paraglider crashed into the ocean near Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills, and he became entangled in his harness.
Numerous first responders participated in yesterday’s search, rescue, and recovery, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Southern Shores Volunteer Fire Dept., the Southern Shores Ocean Rescue, the Duck Fire and Rescue, the Southern Shores Police Dept., and the Kill Devil Hills Surf Rescue, according to the Town. Survey boats being used in the nearby beach nourishment effort were also employed.
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Weeks Marine crews started laying the dredge discharge pipe, also known as the sub-line, on Tuesday near 60 Ocean Blvd. Dredges will come close to the shore, hook up to this line, and start pumping sand that was collected at another location farther south and offshore. Pumping will start after Hurricane Fiona passes offshore, according to the Town.
Weeks Marine will section off the active construction area. Beachgoers will be able to access the oceanfront on either side of this area.
The Town will provide periodic updates on the beach nourishment project on the Town website. The sand pumping in the 60 Ocean Blvd. sub-line will proceed south and tie in at the town line with the Kitty Hawk project.
(We regret that we have not been in Southern Shores this week to report on this news firsthand.)
THE BEACON, 9/22/22
The Southern Shores Beacon 