Srinivasrao Alaparthi files a lawsuit against the boat captain, his first mate and the resort, alleging negligence and wrongful death
New York: An Indian-American has filed a lawsuit against a waterfront resort and a boat captain for alleged negligence that led to the death of his wife and left his son and nephew severely injured while parasailing last year in Florida, an IANS report in The Tribbune, Chandigarh, says.
Srinivasrao Alaparthi filed a 68-page lawsuit in Monroe County circuit court this week against the boat captain, his first mate and the resort, Captain Pip’s Marina & Hideaway, alleging negligence and wrongful death, the Washington Post reported.
Earlier, Alaparthi who hails from Andhra Pradesh, had filed a lawsuit last year against the parasailing company, Lighthouse Parasailing, which operated out of Captain Pip’s Marina.
It all happened on May 30, 2022 when Alaparthi while on vacationi in the Florida Keys, Alaparthi, his wife Supraja, 33, their 10-year-old son and nephew, 9, went parasailing. But suddenly the weather turned bad and tragedy struck.
Within minutes, boat’s captain Daniel Couch cut the towline connecting the parasail to the boat, causing Supraja and the children to helplessly drift in the air before they crashed into a concrete bridge.
He told the Washington Post on Thursday, June 8,that it was a “terrifying experience”.
Alaparthi has alleged in his lawsuit that the boat’s crew failed to check the weather forecast, which would have shown an incoming storm and did not radio the US Coast Guard for help as the independent chute dragged Supraja to her death.
In addition, the crew did not provide enough safety equipment, including life jackets on board, nor did they make any attempt to properly bring the parasail down after losing control.
“I can’t help but think that if the people we trusted from the parasailing company and Captain Pip’s Marina had done their job, my wife would still be with us today,” The Post quoted Alaparthi as saying.
“We trusted these companies, but they let us down in the worst possible way.” In September last year, Couch was charged with manslaughter and multiple boating violations. He has pleaded not guilty.
Alaparthi has alleged in his lawsuit that the boat’s crew failed to check the weather forecast, which would have shown an incoming storm and did not radio the US Coast Guard for help as the independent chute dragged Supraja to her death.
According to media reports, he believed that cutting the towline would allow them to drift into the water, where he would be able to save them.
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigation said Couch lost control of the parasail with some 150 feet of line still extended and “immediately” cut the tow line with a pocket knife.
Due to this, the three passengers plunged from “an unknown height”, according to the affidavit.
Untethered from the boat and propelled by the wind, the parasail itself stayed aloft and soared south, dragging its three occupants in and out of the water for two miles, The Post said, quoting the affidavit.
Alaparthi told reporters that the children are still healing physically while “working through the emotional trauma”.
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