Cruise lines decide parasailing too dangerous
After a 60-year-old Celebrity Cruises passenger was killed and her 34-year-old daughter was hospitalized after a fall, four cruise lines have now canceled Caribbean parasailing.
Some lines including Celebrity say the ban is ”indefinite” pending an investigation by the US Coast Guard.
Parasailing is a sport where passengers dangle hundreds of feet in the air while being towed by a boat. It has almost no government oversight, says USA Today.
There are about 1,300 parasailing companies operateing worldwide, with about 225 in the US, said Mark McCullough of the Florida-based Parasail Safety Council.
Celebrity, sister company Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Caribbean have now dropped parasailing during port calls in St. Thomas. Carnival has also temporarily dropped parasailing during port calls in St. Thomas.
The recent St. Thomas parasailing death was the third this year involving North American tourists.
Holland American is going ahead with the excursions, offering it at one location on its private island Half Moon Cay. Outings there are operated in-house.
Many such excursions are operated by outside providers. Some of them have been allowing two people to participate at one time.
The Daily News has reported that squalls and wind gusts in St. Thomas may have helped lead to the recent death.
In addition to the Coast Guard, another half dozen agencies are investigating.
By David Wilkening
David
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