NZ paraglider Charlotte O'Leary's death in France: Bad weather blamed, police say

Charlotte O'Leary died in a paragliding accident in France last week. Photo / Supplied

A French police report on the death of New Zealand paraglider Charlotte O'Leary in the French Alps has pointed to strong wind and poor weather as the cause.

Members at the local paragliding club decided not to fly because of the bad weather, the report said.

French news outlet Le Dauphine Libere reported O'Leary, 30, died shortly after take-off. She was flying solo.

Fellow paragliders alerted emergency services at 2.30pm after seeing a wing and body on the ground.

It is understood officers from mountain rescue organisation PGHM Jausiers attended immediately but O'Leary was already dead, the report said.

O'Leary, an experienced paraglider, was holidaying in Europe with her brother when the fatal accident happened last Thursday in Saint-André-les-Alpes.

The area, less than two hours from Nice, is one of the world's most acclaimed paragliding sites.

Charlotte O'Leary was paragliding at Saint-André-les-Alpes in the French Alps, a two-hour drive from Nice. Google Maps

O'Leary, who studied medicine at the University of Otago and worked at Hauora Tairāwhiti, previously Tairawhiti District Health, from 2017-19, had been living in Queenstown.

She had planned to return to New Zealand for the winter ski season at Coronet Peak and had taken a role as part of NZ Ski's medical team.

NZSki chief executive Paul Anderson said O'Leary was an experienced emergency doctor who was coming back for her second season with the mountain's medical rescue team.

"People are devastated," he said.

"Losing anyone in these circumstances is very tragic and she was a really talented and valuable member of the medical team.

"Our sympathies go to the family – it's tragic."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the Herald it was helping O'Leary's family.

"We are aware of the death of a New Zealand citizen following a paragliding accident in France and are providing assistance to the family," a spokesman said.

When approached by the Herald, her family this week declined to comment.