A British woman has died while paragliding in Tenerife. Carolyn Dewdney, 53, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, crashed to the ground in the mountainous area of Adeje in the south of the Canary Island during a flying trip with her husband, the organiser confirmed.
Mrs Dewdney was on a week-long paragliding holiday with her husband Nigel, who participated in the 2010 Paragliding World Cup and is chairman of Malvern Hang Gliding Club, based in Worcestershire. Henry Willder, who runs Para 42, the specialist company that organised the trip, said Mrs Dewdney is believed to have suffered a heart attack during her flight.
"We don't know for sure yet, but it's believed she suffered a heart attack while flying and died," Willder said. "That's what the forensic doctor who attended the scene told us. Until the complete autopsy takes place, we won't know anything more." The group were more than an hour into their flight when Mrs Dewdney, who worked as a nurse at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, got into difficulty, Willder added.
A helicopter was scrambled but Mrs Dewdney was already dead by the time rescuers reached her. According to the forensic doctor, she had only slight injuries including a broken arm. Simon Dillworth, a chief coach at Malvern Hang Gliding Club, described her as a "very experienced" paraglider. A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed consular assistance was being provided.
