NewsStateBroward

Actions

Kite surfer killed after slamming into side of Fort Lauderdale Beach home

Fire chief says strong wind carried man off ground, lifted him into air
kite surfer slams into side of Fort Lauderdale Beach home
Posted at 5:06 PM, Aug 25, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-25 17:12:08-04

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A kite surfer in died Wednesday after a strong wind picked the man off the ground, carried him 400 feet and slammed him into the second floor of a house on Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan said the kite surfer hadn't even gotten into the water yet when a strong wind lifted him into the air and into the house.

"He was not able to release from the kite in a timely manner," Gollan told WSVN.

The man was taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where he died a few hours later.

ground view of kite surfer after slamming into side of Fort Lauderdale Beach home
A kite surfer's kite blows in the wind after it slammed into the side of this house in Fort Lauderdale Beach.

The victim's name was not immediately released.

In the sport, participants usually hook a large kite to a body harness, hold onto a bar and then put their feet into straps attached to a surfboard. They then use the kite to pull them through the water.

Kites usually come with a safety release system that can quickly disconnect the surfer if they lose control or catch a dangerous wind. It was not known if the victim’s kite had such a system or whether he had tried to activate it.