Macassar Fatality

[ricki]

Summary

- A new 265 lb., 5"11" rider was working on waterstarting on his board with a 12 m flat kite in 20 to 25 kt.
winds possibly gusting to around 35 kts..

- After working about 2300 ft. downwind, his kite hit the water and then relaunched. It proceeded to loop
dragging the rider about another 4600 ft. downwind and up the beach.

- Other kiters ran down the beach and found the man to be not breathing and rendered first aid. He
was later pronounced as deceased from a heart attack.

- The bypass leash had accidentally clipped in one of the steering line leaders out of reach of the
rider causing the kite to loop out of control (see below).

Kiters should AVOID carrying any clip or device that can easily capture and hold kite lines.
This sort of clip is WIDELY used in the industry for kite leashes.

A different type of clip in a different location resulted in identical out of control kite behavior last year.
More HERE under "New Rider & Corkscrew Of Death"