Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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"PHUKET, Thailand – A businessman from Australia fell 70 meters (230 feet) to his death while parasailing in southern Thailand, police said Thursday.

Roger John Hussey was briefly conscious when medics reached him Wednesday, but he died shortly afterward in a hospital, said police Lt. Col. Pichai Songmuang. The parasailing operator and the boat driver have been charged with negligence causing death, he said.

Hussey's wife, Boosabong Tongsanga, said Hussey had been watching people parasail for days before he decided to do it.

"We thought it was safe," said Tongsanga, who was watching from the beach as her husband fell into shallow water.

Video circulated on social media shows the accident, along with earlier footage of a smiling Hussey being helped into a harness and life jacket on the beach in Phuket.

Water sports such as parasailing are popular in tourist destinations like Phuket. But safety measures are not always strictly enforced.

Hussey was CEO of an investment company and served on the boards of several government and community bodies including as deputy chair of Landgate, which is Western Australia state's land information authority. In a written statement, Landgate said Hussey was intelligent and energetic.

"He served the West Australian community in many ways - as a businessman, board member and advocate for a variety of community causes," the statement said."

Comment: I had a similar incident years ago in Pataya. I watched people para-sailing for a couple of hours without indecent so I decided to try it. At the end of the session they crashed me into the beach as the boat let the rope go slack just before my landing. I was lucky to only be scratched up and bruised.
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

Post by europtimiste »

Thousands of tourists practice parasailing and accidents are rare. We still don't know if it was a safety problem or a mistake done by the victim. By the way every sport is dangerous.
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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We still don't know if it was a safety problem or a mistake done by the victim
.
And we probably never will. Do not be surprised if the next news from Thailand is that he committed suicide.
Yes, it is a dangerous sport, but probably less so than driving on Thai roads. The following may give some clues:

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/expert-c ... b88535549z

Parasailing expert claims leg rings failure led to Thailand death of Perth businessman Roger Hussey

An Australian parasailing expert believes the leg rings of a safety harness supporting WA businessman Roger Hussey failed during a joy ride in Thailand, causing him to plunge about 30m to his death.

Despite claims by Mr Hussey’s Thai parasailing guide that the 70-year-old may have accidentally unclipped the top of his harness, former South Australian parasailing company owner Damian Ward believed it was more likely he slipped through the bottom.

Thai police have charged the parasail guide and speedboat helmsman with reckless behaviour causing death but are checking the equipment and investigating the guide’s claims.

A policeman who questioned the pair told media in Phuket that the guide claimed he had instructed Mr Hussey how to hold on to his harness as he fitted him into the safety equipment before take-off.

“When the parasail was up, the Australian man let go of the clips and spread his arms out wide,” Lt Suwisit Keereerak told The Phuket News.

“He then grabbed hold of the clips again but became unattached from the harness and fell.
“We believe that when the Australian man grabbed the clips again he might have pushed the clips, making them imperfect.”

Mr Ward, who ran Odyssey Adventures Parasailing in Adelaide and Darwin for seven years, watched the video of the accident and said judging by the way Mr Hussey’s legs were hanging straight down after he initially appeared to slip, he believed both leg straps had failed.

He said Mr Hussey hung on for a second with his legs dangling before he fell.

“For that to happen, both of the leg straps would have to fail and his arms would have to lift up over his head so he could slip out of the harness,” he said. “It’s an unfortunate chain of events.”

Mr Ward said it would have been very difficult for Mr Hussey to have unclipped himself from above.
“It would be very hard because you literally have to lift your own weight to get yourself out of them,” he said.
.........................................................................................
This victim was not some drunken lout that would take unnecessary risks. He was a highly intelligent and educated person of 71 years of age. In one place it is reported that he sat and watched others doing it for some time, before deciding to try it.(just like hhf posted that he did the same)
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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Do not be surprised if the next news from Thailand is that he committed suicide
.

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/widow-de ... b88537912z

The widow of a Perth businessman who died while parasailing in Phuket has denied claims the 71-year-old unhooked his safety harness.

Roger Hussey’s wife spent hours with police on Friday after the couple’s holiday quickly turned into a nightmare on Wednesday.

Mr Hussey’s parasailing adventure took just 13 seconds to turn deadly, with the father plunging 30 metres to his death.
His widow Budsabong Thongsangka could only watch on in horror from the Phuket beach.

Ms Thongsangka has dismissed suggestions from the adventure operator that her husband was somehow to blame for his own death.
...............................................................................................
The poor woman has just watched her husband die in front of her, and this is what these ***cks come up with! :guns:
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

Post by RCer »

Watched the video a few times. Upper harness is checked vigorously. But the most important part, leg straps are not checked.
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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I have done parasailing one time many years ago in Phuket, and I will never do it again. :laugh: Too risky! :laugh:
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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Nereus wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:41 am
We still don't know if it was a safety problem or a mistake done by the victim
.
And we probably never will. Do not be surprised if the next news from Thailand is that he committed suicide.
Yes, it is a dangerous sport, but probably less so than driving on Thai roads
. The following may give some clues:

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/expert-c ... b88535549z

Parasailing expert claims leg rings failure led to Thailand death of Perth businessman Roger Hussey

An Australian parasailing expert believes the leg rings of a safety harness supporting WA businessman Roger Hussey failed during a joy ride in Thailand, causing him to plunge about 30m to his death.

Despite claims by Mr Hussey’s Thai parasailing guide that the 70-year-old may have accidentally unclipped the top of his harness, former South Australian parasailing company owner Damian Ward believed it was more likely he slipped through the bottom.

Thai police have charged the parasail guide and speedboat helmsman with reckless behaviour causing death but are checking the equipment and investigating the guide’s claims.

A policeman who questioned the pair told media in Phuket that the guide claimed he had instructed Mr Hussey how to hold on to his harness as he fitted him into the safety equipment before take-off.

“When the parasail was up, the Australian man let go of the clips and spread his arms out wide,” Lt Suwisit Keereerak told The Phuket News.

“He then grabbed hold of the clips again but became unattached from the harness and fell.
“We believe that when the Australian man grabbed the clips again he might have pushed the clips, making them imperfect.”

Mr Ward, who ran Odyssey Adventures Parasailing in Adelaide and Darwin for seven years, watched the video of the accident and said judging by the way Mr Hussey’s legs were hanging straight down after he initially appeared to slip, he believed both leg straps had failed.

He said Mr Hussey hung on for a second with his legs dangling before he fell.

“For that to happen, both of the leg straps would have to fail and his arms would have to lift up over his head so he could slip out of the harness,” he said. “It’s an unfortunate chain of events.”

Mr Ward said it would have been very difficult for Mr Hussey to have unclipped himself from above.
“It would be very hard because you literally have to lift your own weight to get yourself out of them,” he said.
.........................................................................................
This victim was not some drunken lout that would take unnecessary risks. He was a highly intelligent and educated person of 71 years of age. In one place it is reported that he sat and watched others doing it for some time, before deciding to try it.(just like hhf posted that he did the same)
:lach:

Sorry, but that was funny. Seriously though, what a horribly embarrassing way to die. :shock:
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

Post by Thistle »

Wow,its now funny that someone dies.
Condolences to his family,either here in Thailand or Australia.
I actually can not believe that someone posted that another human being dying was funny,no matter what the circumstances might have been!!
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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Thistle wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:36 pm Wow,its now funny that someone dies.
Condolences to his family,either here in Thailand or Australia.
I actually can not believe that someone posted that another human being dying was funny,no matter what the circumstances might have been!!
:troll:
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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Rest in peace poor chap and :offtopic: :offtopic: :offtopic:
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

Post by europtimiste »

Speculations.....Nobody can say or have seen if this man unhooked accidentally his harness, it remains a possibility.
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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RCer wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:58 pm Watched the video a few times. Upper harness is checked vigorously. But the most important part, leg straps are not checked.
On the video it's difficult to see if the leg straps are fixed, but I cannot imagine how you can slip as upper harness (2 straps) pass under both arms. Maybe he opened his arms to show his joy and was not anymore protected.
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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europtimiste wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:35 pm
RCer wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:58 pm Watched the video a few times. Upper harness is checked vigorously. But the most important part, leg straps are not checked.
On the video it's difficult to see if the leg straps are fixed, but I cannot imagine how you can slip as upper harness (2 straps) pass under both arms. Maybe he opened his arms to show his joy and was not anymore protected.
Primary support on a chute harness is the leg straps. Upper part just limits back movement and injury.

If the legs let go, you slide out.
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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RCer wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:55 pm
europtimiste wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:35 pm
RCer wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:58 pm Watched the video a few times. Upper harness is checked vigorously. But the most important part, leg straps are not checked.
On the video it's difficult to see if the leg straps are fixed, but I cannot imagine how you can slip as upper harness (2 straps) pass under both arms. Maybe he opened his arms to show his joy and was not anymore protected.
Primary support on a chute harness is the leg straps. Upper part just limits back movement and injury.

If the legs let go, you slide out.
Isn't there a 'Quick Release' on the top part of the harness? I have seen the video and his arms appear to be in the down position the entire time, so maybe the harness broke/failed or the Thai guy accidentally hit the 'Quick Release'? I really don't know.
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Re: Australian man dies in parasailing accident in Thailand

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Name Taken wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:01 pm
RCer wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:55 pm
europtimiste wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:35 pm

On the video it's difficult to see if the leg straps are fixed, but I cannot imagine how you can slip as upper harness (2 straps) pass under both arms. Maybe he opened his arms to show his joy and was not anymore protected.
Primary support on a chute harness is the leg straps. Upper part just limits back movement and injury.

If the legs let go, you slide out.
Isn't there a 'Quick Release' on the top part of the harness? I have seen the video and his arms appear to be in the down position the entire time, so maybe the harness broke/failed or the Thai guy accidentally hit the 'Quick Release'? I really don't know.
Not that I saw in the video. Its just a basic webbing harness.

Sky divers and other jumpers have a quick release. But if used, the chute canopy colapses.

The Thai guy was up in the risers, not on the Aussie.

What is not seen is whether the harness was still on him when he fell. If it was, then a quick release outside of the harness would likely have been triggered.
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