One of the two hang gliders who died after launching off Lookout Mountain has been identified.
Richard Westmoreland, 37, and another male flyer fell to their deaths Tuesday in a difficult-to-reach location, officials said. The accident victims were professional flyers and had flown all over the world, Dade County Coroner Courtney Gross said by phone.
When the crash happened, Dade County Emergency Services personnel called in additional help. As some teams rappelled down the mountain, others hiked from a private roadway, according to Alex Case, director of Dade County emergency services.
On arrival at the site, first responders determined the two had died from traumatic injuries. A helicopter was called in to assist with the bodies’ recovery.
Some other tandem pilots reviewed the crash hang glider and identified where a piece of equipment malfunctioned, Gross said. The hang glider used in the crash did not belong to Lookout Mountain Flight Park, she said. While the Lookout Mountain Flight Park was closed Tuesday, the two flyers used the park’s ramp.
The other flyer’s name has not yet been released to the public pending family notification, Gross said.
Contact breaking news reporter Mason Edwards at medwards@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6409.