‘The terrible two’ died in horrific paragliding accident

Two experienced paraglide fanatics took their last tandem flight on Saturday morning just before their aircraft plummeted out of the sky and they fell to their death on a farm in Gerhardsville, west of Centurion.

Family members of Nico Basson and Laurie Frates, Basson in his 50s and Frates in his 40s, were advised not to visit the scene as it was a horrific sight.

Both men were married and had two children each.

According to Johan Pieterse, Tshwane emergency services’ spokesperson, the accident occurred around 08:00, only 6km from the Flying Unlimited flight school where they had taken off. The two men were declared dead on the scene.

The cause of the accident is still unclear. The men were flying tandem in a motorised paraglide trike, a two stroke aircraft that runs on petrol.

Both men have been flying for approximately four years and were part of the Naked Band of Brothers, of which Frates was the first member and Basson the second member. To be part of this group, a pilot had to complete 100 flights of which the 100th flight is done naked.

The owner of the flying school, Tony Gibson, said the two men were highly respected and were close with the members of the flying school. “At the flying school the members are a closely knit group,” Gibson said.

“Frates and Basson were also known as the terrible two as they would always fly off together in tandem,” Gibson added.

Gibson said Frates was a calm and collective person. “He was the nicest guy I knew and had an open heart towards everyone,” he said.

About Basson Gibson said he said he made loud jokes and he would miss his big laugh that would come from his stomach.

The members of the flying school held a memorial service for the deceased on Saturday, starting with prayer and doing a missing man formation. Basson’s son and brother attended the service.

According to Gibson, a second service will be held with the wives after the funeral.