MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW)- A Myrtle Beach water sports business was temporarily shut down last week after one passenger suffered a double leg amputation, and another suffered a hip fracture. News 13 looked into who regulates and monitors these businesses.
The coast guard does have jurisdiction over the actual boat that is parasailing or jet skiing and can inspect that vessel but not the activity itself. Parasailing falls into a bit of a gray area when it comes to regulation.
Parasailing does not fall under the jurisdiction any state public authority. It is not overseen by the state’s labor, licensing, and regulation department which inspects amusement rides and is not under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources.
DNR would be the lead investigator for recreational boating accidents but when there’s a casualty on a commercial vessel the Coast Guard investigates. We asked what they can do with their findings.
“Safety alerts to violations found based on regulations we can take letters of warning or civil penalties or even refer criminal if the case calls for that,” said Lt. J.B. Zorn with the Coast Guard.
The accidents where a passenger lost both legs and the other that suffered a hip fracture happened while they were being transferred from the parasail boat to an inflatable raft or banana boat. That transfer is not regulated at all.
“There are no such rules that im aware of. No body has ever sat down and said this is how you should transfer someone from one craft to another,” said Larry Murrock, chairman of Water sports Industry Association.
The Coast Guard issued a safety alert regarding that yesterday; warning businesses to detail safety instructions.
They work closely with industry trade groups like the Water Sports Industry Association, who writes industry standards that serve as a basis for legislation that has passed in states like Florida.
WSIA said they hope those standards pass in other states like South Carolina.
“I think the Coast Guard knows there’s unique risk with parasailing and other water sports activities and I think we try to work with industry to come up with safety solutions and best practices when casualties do happen,” said Lt. Zorn.
We found 6 parasailing businesses up and down the Grand Strand. News 13 reached out to every single one and got either no response or they did not want to talk on camera.
The company involved in the latest accidents say they cant comment due to the investigation but are running under regulation.
There are city regulations. News 13 looked at the city of Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach’s rules and there are limitations of where parasailing can take place, how many feet from shore.
In North Myrtle Beach businesses are required to have an insurance policy of at least one million dollars, and in Myrtle Beach if there’s an injury they must file and incident report with police.
