Some clouds hide an invisible threat: forces strong enough to launch a pilot to nearly 33,000 feet. Although it may sound like something out of a movie, this phenomenon is very real — and potentially fatal. Cloud Suck accidents happen when extremely strong updrafts pull paragliders or hang gliders into storm clouds, lifting them to altitudes where oxygen is scarce and the cold freezes even the instruments.
Furthermore, Cloud Suck accidents have drawn attention precisely because they often involve extreme — and sometimes deadly — scenarios.
Cases like those of German pilot Ewa Wiśnierska and Chinese pilot Peng Yujiang expose the dangers of this invisible force in the atmosphere — one that has caused fainting, frostbite, and even death. However, not all viral videos about the phenomenon are genuine: digital manipulation, especially through artificial intelligence, has already produced stunning but fake scenes.
In this article, you’ll understand how these dangerous currents work, which famous reports are true, and how to separate science from sensationalism.
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What Is the “Cloud Suck” Phenomenon?
The term cloud suck refers to an atmospheric phenomenon in which an exceptionally strong updraft pulls objects — especially airborne athletes — into fast-forming, vertically growing clouds, such as cumulonimbus.
These updrafts form when hot air rises intensely, combined with atmospheric instability that fuels the movement. As a result, an invisible suction tunnel is created. When a pilot enters this zone, the updraft can drag them to altitudes far beyond expectations, making it extremely difficult to descend.
Besides physical danger, this phenomenon can cause hypoxia (lack of oxygen), hypothermia, and disorientation, since visibility tends to vanish entirely inside the cloud.
How Cloud Suck Threatens Pilots
Formation of rising cumulonimbus clouds
This phenomenon can surprise even experienced pilots. Under normal conditions, paragliders and hang gliders fly between 1,000 and 3,000 meters. But cloud suck can lift a pilot over 9,000 meters — an altitude typically reserved for commercial airliners.
At this height, the human body experiences:
Lack of oxygen
Temperatures below -40 °C
Risk of losing consciousness within minutes
In addition, equipment control becomes nearly impossible. The updraft’s force is stronger than any maneuver the pilot can attempt to escape.
Cloud Suck Accidents: Real Cases of Pilots Pulled Into the Sky
Although still unfamiliar to the general public, pilots around the world have faced this phenomenon in tragic and astonishing ways. Cloud Suck accidents occur when powerful updrafts drag athletes into dangerous altitudes, within storm clouds, intense cold, and thin air.
Below are some of the most striking survival — and fatal — stories linked to this phenomenon.
Ewa Wiśnierska – Germany, 2007
Scene from the 2010 Australian documentary recreating Ewa Wiśnierska’s flight. Credit: Eden HD / YouTube
While training for the Paragliding World Championship in Australia, German pilot Ewa Wiśnierska was sucked into a cloud and reached 9,946 meters of altitude. She lost consciousness due to lack of oxygen, suffered frostbite, but woke up mid-air and landed alive.
He Zhongpin – China, 2007
The same cloud formation pulled in a Chinese pilot, Ewa’s teammate, but he was struck by lightning. His body was found kilometers from the launch site.
Paolo Antoniazzi – Italy, 2014
Illustrative image of Mount Bernadia, where Paolo Antoniazzi’s accident occurred
A storm in Italy sucked in a retired Italian general during a paragliding session. He reached about 9,300 meters but did not survive.
Ben Lewis – Canada, 2024
While flying over the Himalayas, this Canadian pilot reached 7,374 meters. He passed out mid-air, suffered serious injuries, and fell into a tree, where he was rescued.
Peng Yujiang – China, 2025
Frame from the possibly AI-generated video showing Peng Yujiang covered in ice during an extreme flight
Recently, Chinese pilot Peng Yujiang was allegedly pulled by an updraft to about 8,598 meters. He survived, but some of the circulated images were later identified as AI-generated.
When the Cloud Is Fake: Manipulated Videos and Misinformation
With the rise of generative AI, fake videos of extreme weather events have become increasingly common. In Peng Yujiang’s case, the footage showed him covered in ice, being pulled vertically through thick clouds — yet some frames were confirmed as artificially generated.
The doubts about authenticity do not discredit the phenomenon, but they do highlight how digital sensationalism can overshadow serious discussion about real-life risks. Therefore, it is crucial to verify sources and understand that, behind the dramatic visuals, manipulation is often at play.
What We Can Learn from These Cases
First and foremost, cloud suck is real, dangerous, and underestimated.
Additionally, nature possesses forces that challenge even the most experienced pilots.
And finally, digital manipulation can distort real reports into disinformation.
Understanding the phenomenon and respecting the boundaries of free flight is more than a safety measure — it’s an act of responsibility. After all, it helps protect lives while reinforcing critical thinking in an era of perfect images and distorted realities.
If you found this content helpful, consider sharing it.
That way, more people can gain awareness of the silent forces above the clouds — those that challenge both gravity and logic.
Sources and References
Ewa Wiśnierska
“Woman Survived Getting Sucked Into Storm While Paragliding”, People Magazine.
https://people.com/woman-survived-getting-sucked-into-storm-while-paragliding-exclusive-8699609
He Zhongpin
“Lightning killed paraglider”, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2007.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/lightning-killed-paraglider-20070221-gdpifu.html
Paolo Antoniazzi
“Ore di apprensione per le sorti di Paolo Antoniazzi”, Il Gazzettino, 2014.
https://www.ilgazzettino.it/pay/nazionale_pay/ore_di_apprensione_le_sorti_di_paolo_antoniazzi_65_anni_di_castagnole_di_paese-496650.html
Ben Lewis
“Paraglider pilot swept to 7,300m in Himalayan storm – and survives”, Cross Country Magazine (XCMag), 2024.
https://xcmag.com/news/paraglider-pilot-swept-to-7300m-in-himalayan-storm-and-survives/
Peng Yujiang
“Doubts raised over Chinese paraglider’s claim of accidental 8,000-metre flight”, The Guardian, 2025.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/29/chinese-paraglider-peng-yujiang-survives-8000-metre-high-flight
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