One dead and one airlifted after parasailing accident in Key West. Weather was a factor, police said
One man is dead and a woman is in critical condition at a Miami hospital after a parasailing accident Friday afternoon in Key West, police said.
The fatal accident took place during a Sunset Watersports sail in the Northwest Channel at about 12:45 p. m. as two tourists were about to start parasailing, reports state.
Nicholas A. Hayward, 36, of Costa Rica, and Azalea Silva, 28, of San Antonio, Texas, were being lifted into the air by the 31-foot commercial boat when they fell into the water and were “severely injured,” according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report released Saturday.
“Severe weather is a contributing factor with this boating accident,” reported FWC.
Hayward was pronounced dead at Lower Keys Medical Center on Friday and Silva was in criticial condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital, FWC said.
There were 10 other people on the boat at the time, police said.
Operating the boat was Andrew J. Santeiro, 32, of Key West, who was not injured.
The FWC report said the fatal accident is still under investigation and that it is “unknown” whether alcohol was a factor in the crash
Sunset Watersports did not return a phone message left with an employee who answered the phone.
This story was originally published July 17, 2020 at 4:41 PM.
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