Haunting final moments of an Aussie teen tragically killed in a freak paragliding incident while holidaying in Lebanon
The final moments of an Aussie boy killed while holidaying in Lebanon with his family have emerged.
Western Sydney teen Hussein Mearbany, 16, was paragliding over the coastal town of Sahel Aalma near the nation's capital Beirut on May 10 when tragedy struck.
It's understood that Hussein slipped from the paragliding harness mid-flight and plunged 300 metres to the ground.
Harrowing footage of the ill-fated journey showed Hussein strapped in front of the instructor as they ran off the edge of a cliff.
Early reports suggest the harness may not have been properly secured.
The paragliding instructor allegedly fled the scene following the incident, local media reported.
The owner of the the paragliding company, which operates out of nearby Jounieh, has since been arrested.
Hussein's shattered family spoke to Al Arabiya Lebanon, calling for authorities to take action against those responsible for his death.
The teen had been holidaying in Lebanon with his mother and siblings when his life was cut short.
The family was just two weeks into the trip.
His father made the mercy dash to Lebanon following the tragedy, where Hussein has been laid to rest.
'When his father heard the news, he flew from Sydney to Lebanon to see him,' Hussein's cousin Sam Merbani told 7news.com.au.
'The day they leave Lebanon is going to be the hardest day of their life.'
His heartbroken family are due to return to Australia this week.
News of the Guildford teen's death has sparked an outpouring of grief back home.
'(He) went to Lebanon for a holiday — full of dreams, excitement, and the energy of youth. Like many young men, he wanted to feel the adrenaline of flying, so he went hang gliding off the mountain peaks of Lebanon,' an online tribute read.
'What was meant to be a moment of thrill became his final moment.
The paragliding operators are understood to have fled the scene following the deatjh
'May Allah grant his family patience and reunite them with him in the highest levels of Jannah.
'And as for us — still breathing, still planning, still distracted — take this as a wake-up call. The only promise in life is death.'
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed consular assistance is being provided to the family of an Australian who died in Lebanon.
'We send our deepest condolences to their family at this difficult time,' a spokesperson said.
'Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.'
The incident comes two months after a grandfather was killed in a hang gliding incident in southern Brazil.
Ricardo Stecanella, 52, was taking off from a mountain in Timbé do Sul, Santa Catarina on Sunday, before tragedy struck.
Terrifying video showed Stecanella gliding towards his left for about 20 seconds and before making a sharp right turn.
The wings then suddenly closed, causing Stecanella to drop 656 feet to the ground.
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