Former Scotland rugby star Greig Oliver has died after a horrific paragliding accident in South Africa.
The incident took place in Cape Town, with the Munster coach in the country to watch his son compete in the Under 20 Rugby World Cup. Oliver was a passenger in a tandem flight when two paragliders are understood to have crashed into each other.
The pilot of one was able to deploy a parachute and fall safely into the sea, but Oliver landed on nearby rocks. Rescue swimmers from the National Sea Rescue Institute attempted to save the former rugby star alongside paramedics but were unable to revive him with CPR.
In a statement, the Institute said: “The tandem passenger, a 58 year old man, was on rocks in the water off-shore of the Sea Point Promenade. Despite extensive CPR efforts he was sadly declared deceased by paramedics.”
The pilot and passenger of the other tandem landed safely, while Oliver's pilot was treated for minor injuries. The IRFU led the tributes to Oliver, who had been working as a coach for Irish side Munster.
“On behalf of the Irish rugby community, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the Oliver family at this extremely sad time," Chief Executive Kevin Potts said.
“Greig was a hugely popular member of staff and played a key role in the development of many young players during his time at Munster Rugby. Today’s news is an unspeakable tragedy and our thoughts are with Greig’s wife Fiona, children Jack and Ciara, and his many friends, family and colleagues. May he rest in peace.”
World Rugby added it is "deeply saddened" by Oliver's death and confirmed there would be a minute's silence held in his memory ahead of the next round of U20 World Cup games on Tuesday. That includes Ireland's clash against Fiji, with Oliver's son Jack part of their squad for the tournament.
“On behalf of World Rugby and the global rugby family, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the Oliver family, the Ireland U20 squad and the Irish rugby community at this difficult time," World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said.
“All the players at the World Rugby U20 Championship stand in solidarity with Jack, his team-mates and the Oliver family and a moment’s silence will be observed across all of Tuesday’s matches as a mark of respect. We have also offered our full support to the Ireland team in South Africa.”
A scrum-half during his playing career Oliver made his debut for the Scotland national team during the 1987 World Cup. He was called up again four years later for the tournament, where he made his final international appearance.
After retiring, he held a number of coaching roles, including with Garryowen, Munster 'A' and in the Irish age-category set-up. Most recently, he worked as an Elite Performance Officer for Munster, with the club's chief executive paying tribute to him.
“On behalf of Munster Rugby, I would like to express our deepest sympathies to Greig’s wife Fiona, son Jack, daughter Ciara, and the wider Oliver family," Ian Flanagan said.
“We are all in a state of shock following Greig’s tragic passing. He was a great colleague and friend to so many and will be dearly missed across the Munster and Irish Rugby community.
“Greig made his presence felt each day, he was always there to provide a helping hand and was a hugely popular character with his light-hearted nature and sense of humour.
“He had an infectious enthusiasm for the game and was incredibly passionate about helping young players be the best they can be on and off the field. May he rest in peace.”
