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Colorado Man Dies In Hang Gliding Accident In Eastern Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Authorities say a Colorado man was killed in eastern Utah when strong winds dragged him off a cliff where he was going to take off to go hang gliding.

The San Juan County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Tuesday that 50-year-old Craig Pirazzi died Monday east of Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. Strong winds came up at 6:30 p.m. while Pirazzi was trying to take off, forcing him to spiral out of control for 300 feet.

Craig Pirazzi
Craig Pirazzi (credit: Juju Julien/Facebook)

"Took you two days to master ropes and vertical work, for the rest you had all your bags of tricks and your brotherhood, what to do without you...RIP Craig Pirazzi," friend Juju Julien said in a post on Facebook.

Two other people who were with him rappelled down the cliff and tried to resuscitate Pirazzi but he died from head and body trauma.

Pirazzi is from Paradox, Colorado.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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