An Indiana-based vacationer recounted the horrifying moment he witnessed a parasailer’s experience go awry during a storm. The viral video serves as a warning to others who might be tempted to try the high-adventure activity.
In a video with over 3.6 million views, TikToker SpanksLife (@spankslife) films a person parasailing over the ocean, a couple of hundred yards out from the shore. A thin wire attaches the parasail to a small motorboat down below.
Dark clouds roll in from the ocean, and the parasail seems to catch the strong wind. This keeps the parasail workers from reeling them back to safety.
“Oh dude, if it snaps,” the TikToker says, pointing from the balcony of a nearby building. “He’s got to be scared as s—.”
Then, the TikToker’s words became reality. The cord snaps, and the parasailer begins to rise higher in the air, drifting further from the boats.
The man drifts above the building and out of sight.
“They just lost that dude!” the TikToker exclaims. In the caption, he notes that he originally posted the incident in 2024 but still finds the situation “insane.”
Did They Survive The Parasailing Accident?
In a follow-up video replying to a comment on the TikToker’s 2024 post about the incident, he shows more footage of the parasailer.
They drift freely over the buildings of the nearby beach town, eventually losing altitude. As the wind carries them lower, the parachute snags on an electrical wire and stops the free-sail.
The parasailer dangles from the wire, and local emergency responders cut it down. Luckily, the electrical wire did not ignite the parasail’s fabric. In a comment, the TikToker clarifies that he later learned that the parasailer was a woman.
In the comments, viewers reacted to the “lucky” outcome of the dangerous situation.
“So fortunate to have made it back inland vs further out into the waters,” one remarked.
Another commented, “This ended way less dramatically than I was expecting but good for her.”
“I can’t imagine how terrifying that was!!! Thank god for her ending,” a third added.
How Dangerous Is Parasailing?
Statistically speaking, parasailing is pretty safe. According to a National Transportation Safety Board report, around 3 to 5 million people in the United States try the extreme sport every year. The vast majority of these experiences go off without a hitch.
However, similar situations to the one shared by the TikToker didn’t turn out as fortunately.
In 2022, an Illinois woman died after her parasail cord was deliberately cut by boat operators during a storm. The captain was later indicted on federal charges in connection with the incident, per CBS News.
Another Redditor shared that the cord snapped during their parasailing experience, leading them to fall 24 stories, breaking their tailbone. Luckily, they survived and made a full recovery.
According to a blog by Wind & Water Sports, prospective parasailers should take a look at the cords that will hold them to the boat prior to their experience. It notes that most accidents occur due to poor rope maintenance or wear and tear.
Safe ropes shouldn’t be faded, worn, or tied in knots, which could compromise the safety of the parasailing experience.
Plus, it’s a good idea to double-check the forecast to make sure you’re not airborne if a storm hits.
@spankslife Repost: This is still insane…. #spankslife #parasailing #ocean #incident
BroBible reached out to SpanksLife via Instagram and TikTok direct message for further comment. We will update this story when he replies.