Tourist dies after falling from parasail at Coxs Bazar beach amid weather ban
Photo Collected
A 30-year-old tourist died Saturday after falling from a parasailing rig into the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Darianagar, near Cox’s Bazar. The victim, identified as Akshar Shouvik Roy, a resident of Khulna, was vacationing with a group of friends when the tragedy occurred amid reports of regulatory negligence and unsafe operating conditions.
According to witnesses, Roy and his group arrived at Darianagar beach around noon. After purchasing tickets for 2,000 taka each, Roy ascended approximately 300 to 400 feet into the air before plunging into the sea. Although staff from the operating company, Satellite Vision Sea Sports, retrieved him from the water and transported him to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital, physicians pronounced him dead upon arrival.
The incident has triggered sharp criticism regarding safety protocols. Friends of the victim expressed outrage at the lack of immediate rescue infrastructure, noting that no lifeguards were present at the Darianagar site when the fall occurred. The company at the center of the incident has operated at the location for over a decade, despite recurring reports of tourists suffering injuries after falling from parasails.
Local authorities confirmed that the operation was running in direct violation of a standing ban. District Administrator Md. Abdul Mannan stated that due to adverse weather conditions, all parasailing activities had been prohibited across the coast three days prior to the accident. He emphasized that the administration had granted no permits for these activities and that an investigation into the firm’s illegal operations and the circumstances of Roy’s death is underway.
Safety experts and local advocacy groups have long warned that parasailing operators in the region lack international-standard safety gear, trained operators, and emergency rescue watercraft. Cifat Saifullah, a supervisor for a private life-guard organization, noted that while the main tourist zone between Kolatoli and Laboni Point is monitored, the 115-kilometer stretch extending toward Darianagar, Himchhari, and Inani remains largely devoid of professional rescue personnel or divers.
Cox’s Bazar police confirmed that Roy’s body remains at the hospital morgue pending further procedures. As the investigation proceeds, civil society leaders are calling for a permanent cessation of all high-risk parasailing activities until comprehensive safety standards and oversight are established to prevent further loss of life.
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