The Guardia Civil has concluded its investigation into the parasailing accident that occurred on 10th August off the coast of Benidorm, Alicante, in which a 66-year-old woman died and a 47-year-old man was seriously injured. The inquiry has resulted in an investigation into the man who was operating the boat at the time, who was not employed by the company, for reckless homicide and injuries, alongside a second individual for an alleged crime of cover-up.
The accident took place while both victims were participating in a tandem session of the activity, towed by a boat. At a certain point, the cable connecting the parachute to the vessel snapped, causing both individuals to be dragged by the wind until they fell into the sea, as reported by the armed forces in a statement.
The woman passed away in hospital as a result of her injuries, while the man was transferred to a medical centre with various injuries, although his life was never in danger.
During the investigation, carried out by the Territorial Judicial Police Team of Altea, officers analysed the circumstances surrounding the accident, including the weather conditions at the time, as there was a deterioration in the weather featuring a storm and strong gusts of wind.
Another aspect clarified during the investigation was who was actually at the helm of the vessel when the accident occurred. Initially, a person linked to the company responsible for the activity identified themselves to the officers as the boat’s skipper. However, they subsequently admitted that they were not the one at the controls at the time and pointed to another worker as the person responsible.
Officers were able to determine during the investigation that it was this latter individual who was operating the boat, confirming that they possessed the necessary qualifications and corresponding training to act as a skipper, although they were not officially registered as crew with the company at the time of the accident.
As a result of the proceedings carried out, two people are under investigation: one for reckless homicide and injuries, in relation to the circumstances that may have contributed to the accident, and the second for an alleged crime of cover-up, connected to the initial misidentification of the person who was at the helm of the boat. The case files have been forwarded to the Investigation Section of the Court of Instance of Benidorm.
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