A paraglider fell 50 feet to his death after the lines of his chute were sliced away by a razor-sharp kite line.

Instructor Jose Helio da Rocha, 61, took the terrifying tumble in Bertioga, south-eastern Brazil, on Christmas Day.

A passenger – identified in local media as Lorrana Fernanda Rodrigues, 23 – was taken to hospital after fracturing both heels and suffering a serious spinal injury in the plunge.

At the time of reporting, she was hospitalised in a stable condition and was due to undergo an operation.

PE teacher Jose suffered heavy bleeding and was taken to hospital in Guaruja but died from his injuries the next day.

Military Police said people on Indaia Beach had alerted them after the two landed on the sand with a sickening thud.

They were reportedly coming in to land when their equipment was sliced by an illegal kite line.

It is believed the victims’ equipment was sliced by a kite line coated with glue and powdered glass, known locally as ‘cerol’.

In Brazil, flying kites with cerol lines is a popular pastime among youths, with the aim of the game being to cut the line of the opponent’s kite.

But the practice is illegal and results in more than 100 accidents every year, according to the Brazilian Association of Motorcyclists (ABRAM).

ABRAM reports that 50 per cent of kite-line accidents result in serious injuries such as scars and mutilations, and 25 per cent are fatal.

But it is believed Jose was also partly at fault, as flying over the beach is prohibited in Bertioga, according to Bertioga Airsports Association president Jose Maria Souza.

Souza said: “Fifty metres out to sea is ideal, never over people, so as not to put anyone at risk.

“We have even notified instructors who have disrespected the rules. This could cause an accident, like this one that was fatal.”

He added: “Rocha, on other occasions, had already flown disrespecting safety and regulations. He was no longer an instructor with the Association because of that.”

However, it is believed he was still working clandestinely as a paragliding instructor and had charged Lorrana for the flight.

Lorrana and her family had gone Bertioga from their home in Americana to spend the Christmas holidays.

Her father, 45-year-old Adao da Silva Felipe, told local media on 27th December: “She is talking, today we saw that she can move her feet, her arms and also her neck a little bit.

“This was a great relief for us, but even so she will need an emergency operation.”

Police in Bertioga are investigating the case.