In this Sept. 24, 2012 photo, two people parasail over the Miami Beach,Fla. area. Soaring high above the ocean off South Beach, tethered only by a rope to a boat hundreds of feet below, riding in a parasail is at once exhilarating and oddly peaceful, even quiet. For millions of people, that's the takeaway from a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But every year there are accidents, some of them fatal. The Parasail Safety Council, which tracks injuries and deaths from the activity nationwide, reports more than 70 people have been killed and at least 1,600 injured between 1982 and 2012, out of an estimated 150 million parasail rides during those 30 years. Despite the inherent risk, few federal or state safety regulations exist for parasailing. In Florida, which has by far the largest number of parasail operators at about 120, repeated efforts to enact new rules following fatal accidents have landed with a thud. Florida is seen by safety proponents as a national bellwether because of parasailing's popularity in the state. (AP Photo/Tony Winton)
Fatal parasail accidents renew calls for rules
In this Sept. 24, 2012 photo, two people parasail over the Miami Beach,Fla. area. Soaring high above the ocean off South Beach, tethered only by a rope to a boat hundreds of feet below, riding in a parasail is at once exhilarating and oddly peaceful, even quiet. For millions of people, that's the takeaway from a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But every year there are accidents, some of them fatal. The Parasail Safety Council, which tracks injuries and deaths from the activity nationwide, reports more than 70 people have been killed and at least 1,600 injured between 1982 and 2012, out of an estimated 150 million parasail rides during those 30 years. Despite the inherent risk, few federal or state safety regulations exist for parasailing. In Florida, which has by far the largest number of parasail operators at about 120, repeated efforts to enact new rules following fatal accidents have landed with a thud. Florida is seen by safety proponents as a national bellwether because of parasailing's popularity in the state. (AP Photo/Tony Winton)
By CURT ANDERSON
AP Legal Affairs Writer /
October 5, 2012
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The lack of regulation, however, means no one is looking over the operator’s shoulder to make sure ropes damaged by sun and salt water are replaced. There are also little or no rules regarding age limits or experience for ‘‘spotters’’ who observe the riders.
And there’s nothing beyond common sense to prevent an operator for taking people up in windy weather, which many people say is the one variable that can most often lead to an accident.
Breitenstein, who has radar on his boats, said he maintains a five-mile buffer from any nearby bad weather. But he said in Florida, storms can develop quickly offshore — and sometimes operators might be tempted to take a little risk to make more money.
‘‘Weather is our biggest, toughest thing,’’ he said. ‘‘Taking chances, that’s a bad habit to get into.’’
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