Alibaug: Parasailors have frightful fall, as rope snaps mid-sea

Sujata Narkar (in the front) and Surekha Panikar (behind her) before taking off; (right) the rope that had kept them attached to the boat snaps

A fun activity turned into a nightmare for two friends holidaying in Alibaug. The Sakinaka residents were parasailing when the rope keeping them attached to the boat snapped and they fell into the middle of the ocean, from a height of about 100 metre. Their life jackets kept them afloat, till the boatman rescued them.

While the accident frightened the women and their families, some of whom were on the boat, its operators allegedly laughed when they fell into the sea.

Seven members of two families from Sakinaka, Mumbai, had gone to Alibaug for a picnic on November 27. While visiting the Varsoli beach, they saw tourists parasailing and decided to go for it too. They were told that two people were allowed at once, and Surekha Panikar and Sujata Narkar went ahead first.

Life jackets save them

"While parasailing, the rope attached to the boat snapped and both of them fell into the ocean. Thankfully, they were wearing life jackets and did not drown. But we all got scared," Surekha's husband Uday Panikar, who was making a video of their sail, told mid-day.

Surekha, who works with a private firm, told mid-day, "I was very excited about parasailing, as it was my first. While Sujata was hooked to the parachute at the front, I was at the back. When the rope broke and we fell into the sea, I was completely under water and wasn't able to breathe. I was frightened. As I cannot swim, I thought that was the end of my life.

‘It scares me even today'

"Though the life jackets saved my life, I get scared even when I think of the accident today," she said.

"When I charged the boatman about the weak rope, which could have taken someone's life, he reacted as if nothing had happened," Uday said, adding that he did not even make them sign any documents or inform them of terms and conditions.

‘Boatman said it's common'

Sujata said, "The rope broke and got stuck in my neck and legs due to which I was not able to move. I was having a lot of fun parasailing, but after falling in the ocean, I was completely blank and had no idea what would happen."

Her husband Nilesh Narkar told mid-day that the people operating the boat were laughing when the accident happened. "It did not make any difference to the boatmen. One of them said that such incidents are common."

The families said that the boatman charged Rs 1,500 per couple.

Rs 1,500
Amount they paid for two people