Mother killed, 2 children injured in Florida parasailing accident

A woman is dead and her son and nephew injured after a parasailing accident in the Florida Keys on Monday.

While on a family vacation from Illinois for Memorial Day, Supraja Alaparthi and her 10-year-old son Sriakshith Alaparthi and nine-year-old nephew, Vishant Sadda, went parasailing in the early evening, CBS reported.

Officials have confirmed that weather played a factor in the parasailing accident.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) reported that “winds picked up” while the three victims were in the air. This resulted in “a strong gust of wind” that “pegged” the parasail, effectively placing control of the sail at the mercy of the wind, rather than the boat operator. When a parasail is pegged, it often impedes the safe operation of the vessel below.

It was at this point that the captain severed the parasail line, though it’s unclear why he made that decision — whether it was to save himself or the vessel, or if he thought it might save the parasailers’ lives.

According to the FFWCC report, the family was then dropped from “an unknown height” and “dragged through the water by the inflated parasail” before colliding with the old Seven Mile Bridge.

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The mother was pronounced dead at the scene. Her son had minimal injuries, while the nephew was transported to a Miami hospital for treatment.

The United States Coast Guard revealed in a statement that a Good Samaritan recovered the parasailers and brought them to a nearby restaurant for emergency medical treatment.

“Our condolences are with the family and loved ones of those affected by Monday’s accident,” Capt. Jason Ingram, Coast Guard Sector Key West commander, said in the statement. “This was a tragedy for a family seeking to enjoy their visit to the Florida Keys. Our team, and our partners at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, are investigating the accident to determine the causal factors and mitigate future casualties to make the waterways as safe as possible.”

The parasailing company, Light House Parasail Inc., has yet to make a public statement about the accident, but an employee told People magazine they are “devastated” and are co-operating with authorities during the investigation.

The accident is being investigated.