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Mom killed, 2 kids hurt parasailing in Florida Keys

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Capt Ralph, Jun 1, 2022.

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  1. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    PIGEON KEY, Fla. – A woman from Illinois was killed and two young children were injured when a sudden storm prompted a boat captain to cut loose their parasail, which then dragged them across the ocean and slammed them into a bridge in the Florida Keys, authorities said.

    A nearby boater saw them hit the water and rushed to rescue them, pulling the victims into his boat and taking them to waiting paramedics, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release sent Tuesday night.

    The 33-year-old woman from Schaumburg, Illinois, had already died by the time they arrived at the nearby Sunset Grill Marina, authorities said. Her 10-year-old son and 9-year-old nephew were taken to hospitals for treatment.

    John Callion, a fishing guide, raced around Pigeon Key to reach them, his fiancée, Kasey Platt, told WPLG.

    “He was pretty frantic on the call. He said, ‘Call 911 right away,’” Platt told the television station.

    Callion told the Miami Herald that the Memorial Day storm developed suddenly.

    “It was pretty much flat calm, but you could see the storm coming. All of the sudden, the temperature dropped by 10 degrees and the wind started blowing like crazy,” Callion said.

    The captain on the boat pulling the parasail “cut a line tethered to the three victims” because the parasail was “pegging,” or dragging the boat, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report released Tuesday night.

    The woman and children were then dragged “through and across the surface of the water” by the inflated parasail until they collided with the Old Seven Mile Bridge, the agency’s report said.

    Callion found the 10-year-old boy battered but awake. The 9-year-old boy was unconscious and wrapped in the parasail’s lines.

    “It was pretty much the worst thing you could imagine,” he said. “It was real bad.”

    The Coast Guard and the state's wildlife agency are investigating.

    “Our condolences are with the family and loved ones of those affected by Monday’s accident,” said Capt. Jason Ingram, Coast Guard Sector Key West commander. “This was a tragedy for a family seeking to enjoy their visit to the Florida Keys."
  2. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Why is the tow Captain(?) NOT in jail???
    rocdiver, LARRYH, bayoubud and 3 others like this.
  3. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    It’s unbelievable. We came back from ocean reef to Monday afternoon and from noon on I was constantly checking the radar. That cell was building over the southern glades and into Florida bay and obviously visually and on radar

    this guy has no excuse whatsoever. He had plenty of time to see it coming and bring his passengers back on.

    there should be a specific endorsement for parasail captain focused on weather avoidance
  4. DOCKMASTER

    DOCKMASTER Senior Member

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    What a horrific tragedy and from the sound of it perhaps avoidable. If have no experience with the do's and don'ts of operating these things but sure seems like cutting them lose would be about the worst thing to do. What am I missing here?
  5. Scott W

    Scott W Senior Member

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    Yep. Unless things have changed recently, as I understand it, the USCG does not require ANY additional endorsements for parasailing operators. So, you can't commercially tow a boat without an additional endorsement but you can tow people...including young children....while they dangle 100' from a parachute. It's insane.
  6. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I have had some orientation many years ago. Schedules and skepticism kept me from ever starting that job. And again, I hate the smell of sun-tan lotion..

    When against the wind, turn and angle off adjusting wind on the sail vs boat speed.
    Never stop. You can never recover boat speed fast enough when the sail dips.
    The idea is to keep the boat moving and adjust height with boat angle against the ever changing shore/sea breeze.
    The higher up you want the sail, the more room on the water you need away from the beach.

    During gust, be prepared to turn down wind. The tell-tale is the height of the sail (chute).
    When Florida weather changes, be prepared to turn down wind and reel the sail in quickly.

    This foker just cut the line.

    Again;
    Why is the tow Captain(?) NOT in jail???
    Last edited: Jun 1, 2022
  7. Kapn

    Kapn Member

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    It is indeed scary how some operators run parasail boats.
    I ran two parasailing boats for a season over 20 years ago. I had a fresh 6-pack and needed a job. Fortunately the first boat in Hilton Head was run by the very diligent owner who was an excellent teacher and very safe operator. We ran in Calibogue sound and had limited room to maneuver so you spent your time tacking upwind with heavy passengers and downwind with the light passengers.
    Then I moved and ran a second boat in the Keys. The owner really only had one requirement that the previous captain couldn't keep straight, show up for work at the crack of noon and be sober. There was no formal inspection of gear and as long as the boat started we went on trips. There wasn't a steady income as the tourist season wasn't so focused and I decided that wasn't a good future so I departed. I haven't parasailed since and I'm surprised there aren't more accidents.
  8. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    There is a parasail operator here at my marina and it s only a matter of time till they kill someone. They go out in 20kts… they go out with cells building just a few miles away. One time I was coming back, still a mile from the Channel cruising at hull speed when one of their captain passed me about 300’ on my port side and then decided to turn across my bow about 200’ away. He claimed he had “the right of way” being RAM. Something the USCG has debunked a few years ago… never mind that even he was stand on, he should have maintained course n speed.

    Their luck will run out one day.
  9. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    Happens all around Florida. We've had several Parasail mishaps in the Fl panhandle. Thunderstorms don't just slip up on you un-noticed!
  10. boatpoor

    boatpoor Active Member

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    I had one cross the channel in front of me in Choctowhatchee bay last Wednesday just east of the mid bay bridge. The boat cleared our bow by a couple hundred feet but if I hadn't pulled the throttles back my outriggers would have hit the parasail.
  11. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I wonder; Does the USCG accept complaints?
    To ensure the operator is a real captain to start.
    Enough complaints the USCG talks to the captain. Maybe at least to remind the captain he is being watched and reported.
    Lots of complaints the captain get a ticket for being stupid.

    Still waiting for a follow up on this OP. Is the captain or operator in jail yet??