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Journalism of Courage
Outings with friends and family combined with adventure sports are supposed to be about a shot of adrenalin, and can even be funny at times. However, lack of safety measures can turn the experience dangerous. A family from Saki Naka, Mumbai, faced something similar during their Alibaug trip.
In a video shared online, two women are seen parasailing when the rope holding them to the boat snapped. As a result, they plummetted into the sea from a height of 100 meters. Luckily, they were wearing life jackets that helped them stay afloat. The women were soon rescued by the boatmen.
The video, which has been seen more than 3.7 million times, has raised questions about the legitimacy of the standard safety procedures followed by adventure sports operators across India.
There have been instances where adventure sports operators do not follow all guidelines or maintain the upkeep of their equipment. Keeping this in mind, the government has been revising policy on adventure sports that includes imposing a total ban on the use of intoxicants while doing aero sports or water sports like rafting, kayaking, or canoeing. Stricter provisions for violators have also been added.
While some accidents occur due to negligence, some happen due to bad judgment of the participants. In 2014, Kerala Police registered a case against parents of a toddler under the Juvenile Justice Act after they sent their 11-month-old baby girl on a solo parasailing trip.
