This Man Crashed His “Flying Machine” And Miraculously Survived

A YouTuber's plan to show off his new paraglider, or his "flying machine" as he puts it in his video, didn't go exactly as planned after his airborne adventure ended with him in the hospital and his machine permanently grounded.

Backstory

Anthony Vella, an Army veteran turned YouTuber with 25k subscribers, documents his adventures flying his paraglider around the world. According to his YouTube bio, he was always fascinated by the idea of flying. His grandfather was a pilot in the Army, which inspired him to join and do the same. However, after he was medically evacuated from Afghanistan, he thought his dream was over.

After he discovered paragliding, he began documenting his flights and sharing tips and tricks with viewers interested in getting into the world of paragliding like him. However, even the most experienced pilots can make mistakes.

The Accident

Recorded from multiple different angles and in painstaking detail (literally), Anthony recorded the entire crash leading up to the moment it happened to when paramedics finally arrived. The video, which has been age-restricted and can only be viewed on YouTube, starts with Anthony in the hospital giving a brief intro to the footage viewers are about to witness.

The flight starts without any issues. Things take a turn around the 3:50 mark when, after hitting 50 mph, Anthony suddenly loses control and plummets 85 feet. Upon hitting the ground, he fractured his neck, back, and pelvis, and shattered his right arm. It would appear he missed a tension knot, resulting in his paragliding losing control after applying the "brakes". His wounds will require surgery.

Anthony seems to be in good spirits despite his injuries. Again, the footage is intense, but you can view it here.