Report calls parasailing ‘risky,’ operators say it’s safe as taking a walk

A new government report casts doubt on the safety of a popular tourist activity that sends people soaring hundreds of feet above the water in a harness, hanging from a parachute and tethered to a power boat.

One of the few parasailing operations in the Puget Sound is found on the Tacoma waterfront. Doug Luthi has been operating Pacific Parasailing for ten years from a dock behind the Ram Restaurant in Ruston. Customers sign up for a one-hour boat ride and flight over Commencement Bay.

“It’s a completely dry ride, you take off and land on the flight deck of the boat, the only exception to being dry is we’ll ask them if they want to do a toe dip and that’s where we do a little parachute drop down into the water,” said Luthi.

It sounds fun, and harmless. But The National Transportation Safety Board just issued its first investigative report into the safety of parasailing, finding the industry “largely unregulated,” subject to serious, even fatal accidents. The NTSB calls on the Coast Guard to implement a special license endorsement for parasail operators.

The executive director of the Water Sports Industry Association in Orlando said he’s against new government regulation. Larry Meddock said the industry has been crafting safety standards for four years, working with a global organization, ASTM, that helps industries establish voluntary standards.

The NTSB report cited human error and towline failure as the leading causes of parasailing injury and death. Meddock takes exception.

“Ninety-nine percent of any parasail incident is weather-related, not equipment, with one exception, a tragedy that happened a year ago in Pompano Beach where, indeed, a harness failed,” said Meddock. The NTSB said in that case, a woman fell 450 feet into the ocean.

With ten years in the parasailing industry, Brad Sawaya knows the greatest risk is “weather that’s unpredictable.” At Pacific Parasails, they will not launch in winds of more than 15 miles per hour.

“The captain of the vessel should be assessing the weather, not just on an hourly basis or every time he goes out but the whole time he’s out there he should be looking at weather patterns,” said Sawaya.

Luthi said he monitors local weather-watcher reports and even checks the swaying trees and the smoke from the stacks on the Tacoma waterfront.

The NTSB report concludes that parasailing is “risky.” Customers seem willing to assume some risk.

“The whole risk part didn’t really cross my mind too much,” said one young woman before handing over her $79 payment to Pacific Parasail. “Maybe if it was my first time going I’d be kind of worried about it, but I’m not really worried about it. I think we’ll be alright. We’re in good hands, right?”

The NTSB report cited eight parasailing accidents in the states and U.S. territories that killed eight and injured five people. More than 70 people have died in parasailing accidents in the last 30 years, according to the Parasail Safety Council. An estimated 3-5 million people go parasailing each year.

“Are there risks in parasailing? If the captain isn’t playing by the rules, you bet,” said Meddock with the Water Sports Industry Association. “If he plays by the rules and monitors his weather, there is no risk in parasailing, it is as safe as taking a walk.”

Luthi said he’s highly motivated to operate safely knowing that one bad accident and he’d likely lose his insurance and be out of business.