Parasailing Accident 2022 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Katie Malone was celebrating her 29th birthday on June 9th, when she decided to take a parasailing ride in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Her family is now focused on her recovery. Although the accident did not kill her, Malone suffered serious injuries including a fractured skull, broken pelvis, and broken ribs. This prompted a trip to the US to see her doctors. She recently returned to the states for treatment at UCSD Medical Center in San Diego.

When she finally reached her destination, Malone’s parasail failed to perform. A video circulating on social media and the news channels shows Katie Malone being tossed around like a rag doll in the midst of strong winds. The parasail, which was being towed by a boat, flips over and Katie falls hundreds of feet into the ocean. It seems that the rig was either too big for the vessel or was improperly attached.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, a parasail is not a federally licensed activity, meaning that there are no regulations regarding safety. While there is no mandatory training requirement for this activity, a crash involving a parasail does qualify as a “serious” injury, particularly when the occupant is not the pilot.

Parasailing has been investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, the Coast Guard, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. These agencies are currently reviewing the accident, which could lead to legal action against the parasailing company. Some experts have argued that the rig’s failure was a simple matter of operator error. For instance, a sailor may have accidentally swung the cord or a faulty parachute, but a more common cause would be a tow line break or a malfunctioning rudder.

There are two main types of parasailing, the first is the high speed thrill ride, where a gliding passenger is towed through the air by a crew in a tow boat. The second is the low speed thrill ride, which involves a rider attached to the rope of a tow boat. The latter has been blamed for some of the accidents in the area, such as the fatal parasailing crash of a fifteen-year-old girl from Guanajuato.

The aforementioned ‘tow-line-me-moment’ is not a new phenomenon. In fact, this type of event has been going on for decades. During this time, the Coast Guard has made efforts to educate the public on this type of activity. On the other hand, some have called for a ban on this activity. If the regulation is implemented, a number of companies that provide this type of service would lose their licenses and customers.

As the weather gets warmer, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will hopefully begin to enforce the regulations. One of the most recent complaints involves a company in Pompano Beach that offers parasailing as a service. However, the city has a long history of parasailing related accidents. Several people have been injured in these crashes, most of whom have been hospitalized.