Teen Girls Critically Injured - Parasailing Rope Broke

Blondie in Spokane

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This is terrifying.....

"Two teenage girls fighting for their lives after they smashed into side of apartment block when para-sailing line broke free from boat"

"Hundreds of beach goers watched in horror as two terrified teenage girls crashed into the 13th floor of a condominium after a para-sailing accident in Florida on Monday."

"Alexis Fairchild and Sidney Good, both 17, were left at the mercy of the wind after the line connecting their tandem para-sail to the boat broke free and they careered into the building and then thrown onto power lines before landing on-top of cars in a parking lot."

"Both girls who were on vacation from Huntington, Indiana, were heard to scream out loud before they hit the 13th floor balcony and they were rushed to Bay Medical Center where they are currently in a critical condition."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-block-para-sailing-line-broke-free-boat.html


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...iling-line-broke-free-boat.html#ixzz2XwEQW2iY
 
How scary...praying for the two girls.
 
I'm scared of heights and yet went para sailing since it was over the water. Although nothing scary happened I'll never do it again after seeing this video of the accident!

Many, many people para sail with no problem, though it's to me like people who go parachute...only takes one time for something to go wrong at that height.

So sorry the girls were horribly injured. Prayers to the family.
 
I para sailed when I was younger and it was a blast. But the thought of being in the air after the rope broke or somehow came free absolutely terrifies me to death right now.....those girls had to see it coming as they slammed into the building. This makes me shudder.

Bystander filmed it and it's being shown on Fox right now....interviews with witnesses....awful.
 
I live about 100 miles on the Florida coast where this happened. When I saw it on the news I was horrified! I read last night that one of the girls has not regained consciousness and that her brain continues to swell. The other girl is has regained consciousness and is responsive. I also read that both girls sustained broken necks and several broken bones including their legs and both are still in critical condtion. I haven't been able to find any updates today on their conditions, and just hope to God that they can both recover from this. What an absolutely horrifying experience!

Parasailing is a big industry here, but it's not regulated. The sky is filled with parasailers on any given day along our beaches. These girls probably signed a 4 or 5 page waiver before they were rigged up. I don't know how the waiver would stand up in a court of law, or whether or not the families will have any right to sue. It's really a shame that this industry isn't regulated, and it's just tragic that these kinds of accidents can happen. The weather was bad that day. The winds kicked up. Summer storms can crop up in a flash around here - especially in the late afternoon after the heat from the day has built up. That boat captain should have never taken them out when conditions were favorable for a storm to pop up.

ETA: There are several videos out there of this accident if you care to watch them. Watch at your own discretion - it's pretty horrifying. Once the girls hit the railing....they bounce off quite a distance and their bodies go limp. I can not even begin to image the fear or the horrific pain they must have experienced!
 
Thanks for the updates and info. I have no intentions of watching the video.
 
From that article:



Good news.

Thank you so much! I must have missed that part when I read the article earlier. Last night on our local news the reporter sounded very grim about the one girl's condition and I was worried she wouldn't wake up. Thank goodness she is conscious now. That is a good sign that she's going to make it out of alive!!!
 
Wait...this article says there were 3 victims, and that one plunged into the water? This is the first I've heard of a third victim!

http://www.10news.com/news/teen-girls-injured-in-parasailing-accident-in-panama-city-florida-070313

"The three teens were onboard when the parasail snapped from the boat in Panama City Beach.
One of the victims plunged into the water and was rescued.

But the parasail kept flying and two of the girls were sent into a 13th floor balcony and into a power line."
 
"In the company’s first public statement since two teenage girls were critically injured in a parasailing crash in Panama City Beach, Aquatic Adventures extended their sympathy to the victims and their families Wednesday, and said the incident was “tragic.”

“Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families of the injured girls and we all pray for their speedy recovery,” wrote Jeff Jones, owner of Aquatic Adventures. “While we adhere to best practices to minimize the risks associated with watersport activities, sudden weather conditions can and do occur.”

"Jones noted that an investigation into the incident by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is ongoing, and that Aquatic Adventures is “unable to comment further at this time.”

http://www.newsherald.com/news/crim...calls-parasailing-crash-tragic-1.167671?tc=cr

Interesting Comments below this article....will post in a few.....
 
"Aquatic Adventures Has Had Legal Troubles Before"

"This isn't the first time aquatic adventures has had a similar incident."

"The case involving the two girls from Indiana who were hurt just two days ago is strikingly similar to the case i have against this company that's ongoing right now," said Attorney Wes Pittman."

"The two teenagers involved in that 2009 case were also from Indiana. The big difference is they landed in the water after their rope snapped."

Another incident with the company involved a woman being run over by a jet ski. They settled the case in 2010 for $650,000.

"Attorneys say they're seeing more of these type cases against parasailing operations."

"There's a conflict between the employees that are trying to sell the rides. They get paid on commission typically and so their motivation is to sell more rides. They're not necessarily looking at the weather to say maybe we shouldn't go up at this point," said Attorney Waylon Thompson."

http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/...s-Before-214214961.html?ref=961&device=tablet
 
I have parasailed many times and several of those at Panama City Beach. This article really terrifies me though. I think it will give me pause next time I am at the beach and thinking of parasailing.
 
Parents of one girl were just interviewed on news(philly). One is able to walk. The other is still on a ventilator
 

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