By Satish
Cheney | Yahoo!
Newsroom – 17 hours
ago
A 15-year-old Australian girl is suing a cable-ski park
operator after allegedly sustaining massive injuries from an
accident at the park in 2009, according
to The
New Paper (TNP).
The report said that she collided with another skier at TT
Leisure’s SKI360 degree park, located in East Coast
Park.
At a cable-ski park, an automated cable system pulls a
wakeboarder’s or water skier’s rope and handle around a
lagoon.
The impact of the collision sent the girl into a coma and she
later had to amputate part of her
feet.
The girl, now wheelchair-bound, also suffered various medical
issues including heart and kidney failure as well as damage to her
brain, said TNP.
Based in Perth, the girl is seeking damages for medical fees
and pain among other things.
When contacted by Yahoo!
Singapore, the cable-ski park refused comment on whether
extra safety measures have been put in place since the
accident.
At its website, an indemnity
form for cable-ski participants was
found. Those below the age of 21 require a parent’s or legal
guardian’s consent before using the park’s facilities.
This is not the cable-ski park’s first brush with the
law.
Last year, TT Leisure and Victoria School were sued by a
student who was left with partial disabilities after an accident
during a cable-ski lesson.
Muhammad Noor Azri sustained head injuries after falling face
down while cable-skiing at East Coast Park.
He claimed that protective head gear should have been
provided and that the speed of the cable had been
excessive.
Just how dangerous is cable skiing?
Wake Pirates, a water sports school,
told Yahoo!
Singapore that the traditional skiing
style, where the cable is pulled by a boat is a safer way to enjoy
the sport.
“We see more injuries at cable-ski parks because the system
is automated for the masses. But when you have a boat pulling the
cable like what we do at our place, there’s more control because
the boat has someone operating it and also, we only allow one rider
at any one time,” said director of Wake Pirates Jeremy
Hoh.
According to the SKI360 degree park‘s website there can be up
to eight cable ski riders on the water at any one
time.
But traditional wakeboarding or water skiing can result in
serious injuries too.
Singapore Waterski and Wakeboarding Federation (SWWF)
director Paul Fong said that an American competitor broke her leg
during a wakeboarding tournament here a few years ago.
He added, however, that major accidents are not very
common.
“Just like in other sports like rugby or football, there are
injuries that occur. Everyone, including those taking part need to
take responsibility and make sure they are medically fit when they
take part in such events,” said Fong.
He added that events and competitions held by the SWWF always
have adequate safety measures such as ambulances and safety crew on
standby.
“I cannot comment on this particular accident but I believe
operators who provide water ski and wakeboarding facilities for
leisure have their own standard operating procedures,” said
Fong.
In recent years, water skiing and wakeboarding have become
increasingly popular in Singapore.
thats indeed scary!and someone was actually injured by this company
in the past.me thinks it could be someone highly connected to PAP.i
wonder if they need hitman for this ........misadventure.