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Casualty in Sicily

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RickI
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Re: Casualty in Sicily

Postby RickI » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:06 pm

I think it’s fair to say you can’t make that cloud look significantly worse than it actually is. It only kicked out of 40 knot gust when it might been double that or more. Lightning is often a risk with thunderstorms but here’s a good question. How many kiters have been struck by lightning versus how many of been killed or put in the hospital by thunderstorm or squall winds?

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Re: Casualty in Sicily

Postby RickI » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:50 pm

Image

Here is a better photo of a shelf cloud trashing a bunch of kiters, this time in the UK and eight years ago. It exploded with 60 to 70 mph gusts and sent riders and kites flying all over the place. Remarkably some people continue to ignore obvious threats and serous accidents from over the years still today.

Here is the story that goes with the photo:

viewtopic.php?f=131&t=2372851

It is worth noting that some kiters don't see anything seriously wrong going into systems like this, experienced kiters. Some experienced kiters have killed themselves over the years doing just that. Then there are the new kiters who see other kites and just go without a clue what they are getting themselves into. The kite community needs to build better hazard awareness, appreciation and the means of avoiding squalls for its own good and that of its members.
Last edited by RickI on Fri Sep 21, 2018 12:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Casualty in Sicily

Postby lindseym » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:52 pm

very sad to hear...sending positive thoughts to friends and family

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Re: Casualty in Sicily

Postby FLandOBX » Fri Sep 21, 2018 12:14 am

ap888 wrote:
Thu Sep 20, 2018 8:53 pm
RickI wrote:
Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:42 pm
So, it is ok to play Russian Roulette with a gun in your mouth or stumble around on a high speed roadway drunk because if it isn't your time, no harm? What about using common sense keeping the gun out of your mouth in the first place, off the highway and staying out of squalls, particularly ones that look like this. Common sense, training and good procedures have important places in life, good health and longevity.

https://www.facebook.com/kitesurfing/vi ... 198584356/
A video of a squall with all those kiters waiting to get messed up.

This guy was apparently hit by a 40 kt. gust while launching and was dragged overland slamming through a vineyard 400 m or over 1300 ft. likely at high speed. He apparently didn't appreciate the hazards of the storm he was heading out into. He isn't the first guy to do this by far nor is he likely to be the last. This was totally avoidable and remarkably, guys are debating in other venues whether to even go out into a monster like this with kiting gear.

ap888 wrote:
Thu Sep 20, 2018 5:53 pm
Sorry to here...kiting is big now lots of ppl kiting if the force says it’s your time it’s your time no questions/if’s/could haves it was meant to happen.
Yea it is ok to do all of the above no one should judge if it’s right or wrong the force does not judge...I’m am sure you see the videos of ppl urban climbing cranes hanging off with one hand...jumping from planes with no parachute...driving super bikes at 300km in traffic danger is everywhere 1000000 ways to die...u don’t decide god/the force decides when it’s your time :D
I'm certain that no one lives his/her life with a total disregard of risk, and it's ludicrous to pretend that people do. Everyone manages risk to some degree because we recognize that their are consequences to totally disregarding it. It doesn't matter what "the force" says or doesn't say, if you cross a busy high-speed highway without first checking for traffic, you're taking a risk that will probably kill you.

RIP fellow kiter. Very sad story. Condolences to friends and family.

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Re: Casualty in Sicily

Postby ap888 » Fri Sep 21, 2018 12:51 am

Some people that have had their sole leave the body and come back will understand a lot more about life and leaving the earth...very few get the chance to experience this :D

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Re: Casualty in Sicily

Postby chemosavi » Fri Sep 21, 2018 1:00 am

"it’s your time it’s your time no questions"
.
This is some choice stuff, right up the Darwin alley. Keep on keeping on, I say, just don't involve anyone with a brain, hoping they will come and rescue you when you get into trouble.
Because they behave and act above the level of a mosquito. Yes, why even most animals do not take solace in fate and avoid putting themselves at risk.
.
Too funny really . Go to church and say your prayers and everything will be OK.

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Re: Casualty in Sicily

Postby PullStrings » Fri Sep 21, 2018 2:57 am

This 2008 video came to mind...kiting the winds of tropical storm Fay...kiter survived !!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UCQFJg4JaQ

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Re: Casualty in Sicily

Postby pmaggie » Fri Sep 21, 2018 9:05 am

You will for sure pardon my poor english since this will be a long post. I was thinking yesterday night about the accident. Apparently, every of us here in front of our pc screen is cautious and reasonable. The video of the squall coming speaks for itself, it's a totally no go situation. It's so easy to say "only a fool etc." and it is the real real real truth. There was no need to be a genius nor a meteo expert to understand it was so dangerous to launch a kite. But. But. I put myself on the crime scene. I'm on the beach, I'm not alone. The wind is picking up, I really WANT to kite (the poor guy was French, so for sure he went to Lo Stagnone exactly for this reason, he was not a local who can wait the next windy day). I think "tomorrow I'm leaving". Also, some other guys are pumping. The atmosphere is euphoric, "il vento" (the wind), someone says "it will last half an hour, we better go immediately". I started windsurfing in 1982 and I witnessed an infinite number of situation like this one. Here on the lake we call this type of weather "ricaduta", that means "relapse". Back to the scene: two, three, ten are going in the water. Am I staying on the beach and just watch? The right answer is "yes, you stupid! Can't you see a squall is coming?". But I'm not sure my answer would have been the right one. I think that sometimes the situation overwhelm the reason, making an otherwise clever man like a child. It's the classic adrenaline, you're urged, you're forced to kite, there's something in you're mind that pushes you to go out, it's like there's no tomorrow. This is, I think, the same pulsion that pushes a kiter to drive for hours, to wait for nothing, to loose time and money just for that cursed hour of kiteboarding. It's stupid, I know, but it is what a lot of us really feel.
This accident and all the other accidents must be a severe lesson. May a squall come while I'm on the beach, I hope I will remember how you can loose your life for half an hour of kiting. But I frankly don't feel comfortable if I declare "in his shoes, I'm sure I would have remained on the beach". I'm so sorry that these poor guys lost their life doing what they loved and I'm so sorry to think that it could have happened also to me it the same exact situation. We all, as kiters, must honor these lost lives and our sport committing ourselves to always think "safety first". That is, I repeat, not so obvious as it could appear.

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Re: Casualty in Sicily

Postby cor » Fri Sep 21, 2018 11:29 am

sarc wrote:
Thu Sep 20, 2018 2:04 pm
That poor French gentleman would probably disagree with you, but he's.. you know... not able to talk. Any statistics on people getting injured launching unhooked????
There is also no statistic on people getting injured because they first launched their motorbike and then jumped on it while moving. Hence, according to your logic, that approach must be safer.

Please stop spreading this very bad advice. Launching unhooked is not safer, especially not in the hands of a beginner who might also read this btw.

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Re: Casualty in Sicily

Postby Robsw6 » Fri Sep 21, 2018 12:07 pm

RIP to the rider/friends & family

From the location footage showing the clouds, this should have triggered everyone to stop any launches, with all kiters coming in & getting their kites down asap. With experience, strong gradient winds are fine, but squall activity is dangerous - if you are in doubt, the mantra is live to kite another day.


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