Lebanon’s paragliding community is in mourning after the death of Omar Senger, a celebrated young athlete from Tripoli who earned international titles in the sport.
The 27-year-old plunged into the waters off Jounieh on Wednesday during a solo training session and later died despite rescue efforts.
Senger was preparing for an upcoming world championship in Turkey when his wing became entangled mid-air.
Witnesses said he lost control while performing a series of high-risk manoeuvres, leaving him unable to deploy his reserve parachute. Rescuers pulled him from the sea in critical condition, but he did not survive.
“My brother was Lebanon’s champion in this sport,” said his sister, Soumaya Senger. “He was unmarried, fully devoted to paragliding, and was set to represent Lebanon in Turkey next week. The news hit us as though we fell with him. We always felt like we were flying alongside him.”
Paragliding over Jounieh, where steep mountain slopes drop into the Mediterranean, is popular but controversial. The sport had been officially suspended for two months over safety concerns, yet resumed recently under political pressure — a decision that has drawn criticism following Senger’s death.
Fellow paraglider Nour, a colleague of the late athlete, said Senger attempted stunts that “are not usually performed because of their danger, and that’s what caused his fall.” He also noted that no rescue boat had been stationed in the water, raising fresh concerns about Lebanon’s lack of safety protocols for extreme sports.
Senger’s death marks another blow to Lebanon’s small but passionate paragliding community. His loss has not only devastated family and friends but also reignited debate about whether the sport can be safely practised in the country’s current conditions.
