Hollywood Cinematographer George Richmond Recovering After Paragliding Accident In Himachal Pradesh

Hollywood cinematographer George Richmond , known for his work on films such as “Free Guy” and “Deadpool & Wolverine” , has undergone a successful surgery and is currently recovering at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh , days after he was injured in a paragliding accident in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, officials said on Friday.

Richmond, 54, suffered serious neck injuries on June 8 after reportedly crashing during a long-distance cross-country paragliding expedition from Bir Billing in Kangra district towards the Deo Tibba region. He was part of a group of five paragliders participating in the flight.

Following the accident, fellow paragliders alerted authorities, prompting a coordinated search and rescue operation involving local administration teams and the Indian Air Force (IAF) . He was rescued from the rugged mountainous terrain and initially airlifted to Kullu for emergency medical care before being referred to PGIMER on June 9.

At PGIMER, Richmond was evaluated by a trauma team comprising general and orthopaedic specialists. He underwent surgery on Thursday.

“He has been kept under observation. His vitals are stable and he is recovering,” said Dr Vijay Goni , Professor and Head of the Department of Orthopaedics at PGIMER.

Doctors said Richmond sustained multiple cervical (neck) injuries following the fall from height. “Basic resuscitation was done and a hard cervical collar was applied at presentation. After initial stabilisation, surgery was planned,” Dr Goni said.

The procedure was carried out by a multidisciplinary medical team , hospital officials said, adding that he remains under close observation for the next 48 hours.

Richmond has frequently collaborated with British filmmakers Matthew Vaughn and Dexter Fletcher , and has contributed to projects including the “Kingsman” franchise and the Elton John biopic “Rocketman” .