A 52-year-old man experienced a harrowing nearly 24-hour ordeal after falling during a paragliding flight in the Cascatinha area of Petrópolis, a mountainous region in Brazil. The accident occurred on Saturday, February 14, during the Carnival celebrations, leading to a search operation by the Rio de Janeiro State Fire Department, which received an emergency call after the victim informed a friend of his situation. The victim, who suffered a foot injury, used GPS to relay his location, which ultimately facilitated the rescue efforts.

The rescue mission was particularly challenging due to difficult terrain and poor visibility in the area, which is characterized by dense forest. Efforts to locate and retrieve the man were ongoing throughout the night, utilizing specialized teams from the Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Operations Group (GOPP), as well as drones equipped with thermal cameras and search dogs. Despite the challenging conditions, the team remained persistent, navigating the irregular landscape in order to locate the victim.

On the morning of Sunday, February 15, after receiving another location signal from the victim, the Air Operations Group successfully found the man in need of help. The timely and coordinated response of the Fire Department illustrates both the dangers associated with paragliding in challenging environments and the critical nature of emergency response services in ensuring the safety of individuals engaged in such high-risk activities during popular events like Carnival.