Tragedy struck the rugby world as former Scotland player Greig Oliver lost his life in a paragliding accident in Cape Town, South Africa. Oliver, who represented Scotland from 1987 to 1992 and was part of the coaching staff at the Irish rugby club Munster, was 58 years old.
Oliver was in South Africa to support his son, Jack, who is playing for Ireland in the Under-20 World Championship. He was enjoying a holiday with his wife, Fiona, when the accident occurred.
According to South Africa's National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), Oliver was on a tandem paraglider with a pilot when they collided mid-air with another tandem paraglider near the shore at Sea Point. Both Oliver and the pilot landed in the ocean, a significant distance from the shore. The pilot sustained minor injuries, but Oliver was found entangled in the paragliding equipment on rocks and, despite CPR efforts by the rescue team, was declared deceased at the scene. The occupants of the other paraglider involved in the collision were unharmed.
The South African Rugby Union expressed its condolences and pledged to support the Oliver family during this difficult time. Oliver's rugby career included appearances at two Rugby World Cups, in 1987 and 1991, although he played a limited number of matches for the Scotland national team.
