Novice hang glider Chris Gursky almost died after his pilot failed to attach his safety harness.
Gursky, who had no prior hand gliding experience whatsoever, had been looking forward to the spectacular views over Switzerland when, upon taking off from the hillside, he realized to his horror that his instructor had forgotten to attach his harness, leaving him clinging on for dear life.
Footage of the flight, which has since gone viral, shows him struggling to hold on as the glider soars high above the trees.
The pilot attempted in vain to make a quick landing, but ended up climbing even higher.
As Gurksy's muscles started to give out, it took him everything he had left to stop himself from falling as he grasped the glider's metal bar, as well as the pilot's trousers, with all his might.
By the time the glider finally landed, he had torn his left bicep tendon from the strain of holding on.
He also fractured his wrist from the impact of dropping from the glider at the end.
The fact that he managed to walk away from the ordeal at all is nothing short of miraculous.