A thrill-seeking adventure took a fatal turn when a paraglider crashed into the ground in a scenic county in South Korea, killing the instructor and leaving the tourist seriously injured.

The accident on March 15 took place in Danyang, a popular paragliding spot with up to 20 vendors vying to offer tourists the experiential rides, local media reported.

The instructor in his 50s and the tourist in his 30s fell from a height of around 20m. They landed around 50m away from their intended landing point.

Both were taken to hospital. The instructor who suffered a cardiac arrest died while the tourist was being treated for serious injuries.

An employee of the paragliding experience centre reportedly told the police that strong winds caused one of the paraglider’s wings to fold, leading to the crash.

The police are investigating the circumstances that led to the accident.

Officials from the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s aviation and railway accident investigation committee also visited the site in Danyang, around three hours from Seoul by train.

Broadcast news video footage shows helmets, safety equipment and backpacks donned by the two men left in a heap on the ground. The video equipment used by the company to document the tourist’s experience was reportedly missing.

A police official said the paragliding vendor may face punitive action if it was found to be negligent in providing safety management.

Around 25 people had died in more than 50 accidents over the past five years, reported Korean broadcaster YTN.