George Richmond, the acclaimed British cinematographer known for blockbusters such as Deadpool & Wolverine and Free Guy, sustained severe injuries in a paragliding accident in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district on June 8. He was rescued by the Indian Air Force and has since undergone successful emergency spinal surgery at PGIMER Chandigarh .
The Accident and Rescue
Richmond, 54, was part of a five-member group on a multi-day “bivouac flying” expedition from the world-famous paragliding site Bir Billing in Kangra district . The group was attempting to fly to the Deo Tibba region when he crashed during a take-off attempt at a high-altitude camp near the base of Mt Deo Tibba, which stands at 19,688 feet .
The impact left him critically injured in a remote, high-altitude area (approximately 4,000 metres), initially suffering from quadriplegia (paralysis of all four limbs) . Fellow paragliders alerted local authorities, prompting a challenging rescue mission.
Due to the difficult terrain, the administration coordinated with the Indian Air Force (IAF). IAF helicopters successfully evacuated Richmond, first to Bhuntar Airport and then to Kullu for initial medical care . He was subsequently referred to the Advanced Trauma Centre at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh on June 9 as a “red-alert” emergency .
Life-Saving Surgery and Recovery
Upon arrival at PGIMER, doctors discovered a catastrophic cervical spine injury, comprising a C1 vertebra fracture and a C5-C6 fracture-dislocation . The damage was near the spinal segments controlling diaphragm function, threatening his ability to breathe independently .
A multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Vishal Kumar performed an intricate emergency surgery on June 11 .
The procedure involved:
- Fluoroscopy-guided closed reduction of the fracture-dislocation to restore spinal alignment.
- Anterior cervical decompression and reconstruction.
- Removal of damaged discs and bone fragments.
- Stabilization of the neck using a titanium plate secured with four medical screws .
Dr. Vijay G. Goni, Head of the Department of Orthopaedics at PGIMER, confirmed that the surgery was a success. Currently, Richmond is conscious, communicating effectively, and his vitals are stable . He remains under observation in the ICU and is expected to begin physical therapy soon to retrain damaged nerve pathways .
About George Richmond
Richmond has been active in the film industry since 1990. He made his debut as a cinematographer with The Hide in 2008 . He is celebrated for his frequent collaborations with director Matthew Vaughn, contributing to the visual style of the Kingsman franchise (The Secret Service, The Golden Circle), Rocketman, and Argylle . His recent work includes Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) and the heist film Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (2025) .
