Rescuers Save Paraglider Who Stopped Breathing

Oct 29, 2026 | News On Japan

Nagano - A 59-year-old water sports rental shop owner in Omachi, Nagano Prefecture, has received a letter of appreciation from police after rescuing a paraglider who plunged into a lake on September 21, pulling the unconscious man from the water and performing CPR after discovering he was no longer breathing.

Muneo Nakata, who operates a lakeside rental shop offering wakeboarding and other water sports activities, witnessed the accident while serving customers.

"I had just said to a customer, 'It looks like it might rain soon,' when I saw the man fall into the lake," Nakata recalled.

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Nakata immediately boarded a boat and headed toward the fallen paraglider.

By the time he reached the man, the victim had completely lost consciousness. With the assistance of two fishermen who rushed to help, Nakata managed to pull him aboard the boat, but the man was not breathing.

While one of the fishermen called an ambulance, Nakata desperately performed chest compressions in an effort to revive him.

His efforts proved successful, and the man eventually regained consciousness.

Emergency personnel subsequently arrived and carefully transferred the man from the rescue boat before transporting him to a hospital. Despite the potentially fatal accident, he survived without any apparent serious injuries.

In a remarkable turn of events, the rescued man returned to Nakata's shop the following day, appearing healthy and expressing his gratitude to those who had saved him.

Police later presented Nakata with a letter of appreciation in recognition of his quick response and contribution to saving the man's life.

The incident highlighted how the immediate actions of bystanders can make the difference between life and death in a water emergency, with Nakata's decision to launch a rescue and begin CPR proving crucial to the man's survival.

Source: FNN

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