NTSB Offers Recommendations for Regulation of Parasailing

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a report on Tuesday calling for the U.S. Coast Guard to require certification for parasailing operation.

According to the NTSB, three to five million people take part in parasailing or paragliding each year, and there are currently no federal regulations governing training or certification of the operators. In 2013, the NTSB notes, 325 operators offered rides in the U.S. — with one-third of those in Florida unable to successfully pass regulation.

The report notes that since 2009, when the agency began monitoring such accidents, eight deaths in parasailing accidents were recorded. The most common cause of the fatal accidents was equipment failure.

The NTSB concluded that the Coast Guard should implement specialized licensing for all operators and incorporate standards from the American Society for Testing and Materials for parasailing. Additional recommendations included regulation by the Federal Aviation Administration and a draft of potential legislation to be created by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators.


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