A BAN on paragliding will start 30 minutes before sunset following the death of one of the territory's most experienced paragliders who, according to an inquiry's conclusions, misjudged his landing due to an optical illusion caused by fading light.
Richard Keen, 45, a Cathay Pacific pilot trainer, died on July 18.
A statement by the Hong Kong Paragliding Association yesterday said: 'All suspicious circumstances, including equipment failure, homicide or suicide have been ruled out.' However there has yet to be a coroner's verdict.
Keen, flying in favourable wind conditions, died after flying off Tin Ha Shan and trying to land at the Tin Hau temple at Tei Tong Tsui near Clear Water Bay in an attempt to find new paragliding runs.
Currently, the areas set aside for paragliding by the Civil Aviation Department are only suitable when there is an easterly or southerly wind and Keen, the association's sites officer, was trying to find new runs that could be used in other wind conditions.
Hong Kong Paragliding Association safety officer Paul Zimmerman said a board of inquiry into the accident had concluded that Keen had been unable to get a secure path on to the concrete apron in front of the temple.
He had hit a tree, falling from the tree on to the concrete and dying on impact from multiple head injuries and loss of airway.