Connecticut woman died in a parasailing accident in Florida

A Connecticut woman died in a parasailing accident in Florida Wednesday when she fell about 200 feet into the ocean, authorities said.

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Stephen Miskell and his wife, Kathleen Miskell, 28. She died after falling 200 feet in a parasailing accident off Pompano Beach, Florida.

Kathleen Miskell, 28, was tandem parasailing with her husband offshore in Pompano Beach, Fla., when her harness broke Wednesday afternoon and she fell into the water, city spokeswoman Sandra King said in a statement.
“She fell between 150 and 200 feet face-down into the ocean, and that’s like hitting a brick wall, and the husband unfortunately had to witness it,” Pompano Beach Mayor Lamar Fisher told NBCMiami.com.

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Miskell’s husband, Stephen Miskell, was not hurt, and the boat’s operator reeled him in after Kathleen fell. They found Kathleen face-down in the water and pulled her into the boat too.
They started CPR, called 911 and brought Miskell to the Hillsboro Inlet. Miskell was in cardiac arrest as Pompano Beach Fire-Rescue continued CPR and administered “advanced life support,” according to King.

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Ocean Isle parasailing fatalities spur stack full of lawsuits

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Lawsuits and other filings stemming from the death of two women parasailers Aug. 28 off Ocean Isle Beach are piling up at U.S. District Court in Wilmington, N.C., with two more plaintiffs seeking damages from the parasail business and the business claiming in another filing that the manufacturers of the parasail and tow rope should pay whatever may be awarded.