Girls die tubing

[FNQCairns]

I guess most have already heard this news, it's a gut wrenching shame.

http://www.smh.com.au/queensland/water-playground-claims-young-lives-20110406-1d3p6.html

The 18 year old who was driving the boat now has to live with this forever, they keep saying it was an accident...well yes and no, it is the lawful equivalent to wandering over to the other side of road in your car, becoming distracted and driving into a tree, people/whatever.

The driver has to be charged, the parents as a result stand to loose all of their children at some level from this simple lack of driver attention.

They have my condolences.

[Angla]

It will take a while for the whole story to come out. Skylarking would be my bet.
An absolute shame that lives had to be lost when doing something that is just so much fun. I feel for the family that remains affected by this tragedy.

Chris

[eugah]

Tragic, at that age they all think they are invinsable. I look back at the things I used to do as a kid & shudder to think if mine did those things what could happen.

Adrian

[cormorant]

No mention of an observer?.

You can get unlucky at high or low speed but 2 girls at once - terible and well against the odds. Very sad for all involved especially as the driver was over 18 it makes it worse for her. .

Regardless of how dumb , adventurous we have all been we have probably got away with a lot of close calls that could have gone terribly wrong. We are all only one mistake away from a bad situation. Great to see the girls out being independant.

[FishHunter]

Its a tragedy but accidents happen and there is no point in crucifying anyone over it.

[randell]

Yes a terrible tragedy.
My friends and I nearly did a similar towing a surfboard in a creek, as you do a turn in the boat, the towed person swings out wide.............and builds up speed.

randell

[Pazz01]

Obviously were too close to the shore. I own a ski boat and I've been towed numerous times on the tube and you can skim a long way across the water when going pretty quick. But the driver should know that you need to be a fair distance from the bank

I think it was an unfortunate accident for an inexperienced driver towing too close the bank.

Pazz

[FNQCairns]

Its a tragedy but accidents happen and there is no point in crucifying anyone over it.

i agree in this instance, although we will and if we do not the US will then want to.

Actually even if we do crucify them all further, the US might still want to later!!

An upcoming almost never ending life of Authoritarian hell for these parents and all of their family, none of it can make a positive difference.

[Dicko]

Very Sad. I feel for all involved, including the driver.

But seriously, it's not just an 'accident'. It's totally avoidable.

The driver controls where the tube goes.

[johncar]

Very sad and we are all affected I am sure.
We have had deaths and critcal injuries in my part of the woods over rhe last few years with similar circumstances.
It seems to be coincidental with the increase of PWC's towing tubes and similar items.
I see quite a few of them around the beaches in my area where families get together for a fun day on the beach with the kids and take them out for a tube ride and most of the time it is all good and fun.
The downside is when I see alcohol being consumed during the day and operators getting a bit reckless and more oblivious to the dangers, then taking to the water with small kids in tow.

On my VMR days we have had need to talk to operators and at times have had to involve the police it has been that serious a behalvior.

I think that it is just luck at times there are not even more tragedies from what I see, and we don't want to see an over reaction but there may need to be some reviews done on this tubing behind PWCs in particular to make it safer if it can be. I don't know what tow vessel they used with this recent incident but I overheard that it was a PWC, not that it makes much difference.

It may in fact just be too dangerous in the hands of inexperience and or people who are not observant or trained in the full aspect of what they are doing. Whether the rope broke or travelling too close to the bank or whatever, the activity seems full of high risks and I would be very reluctant to let my family members or friends be involved without all the safety checks done and the driver would have to be known as very experienced and sensible.
I think it was just too much responsibility for such a young person and she shouldn't be held responsible if our community allows and encourages her to do it.

[davo74]

Very sad. It is all to easy for these things to happen. The report makes no mention of a spotter.

[Scalem]

Some threads I can give limited comment based on my experience, but this subject I can honestly say, based on my water skiing and tubing experience that we should not condemn the driver, however tragic the outcome of this accident. There are clear labels on all aparatus, including tubes, this activity is dangerous, and all users need to be mindful of that.

As a driver, out in the middle of a waterway or dam, miles from any bank or object to collide with, I would deliberately throw the boat around into tight turns, then look at the tube, with little result of tight turns. Another time I made a simple 5 or 10 degree change of direction to avoid another boat on the coomera river, and the tube came out of the boat wash literally flying as if I had done a full 180 degree turn trying deliberately to throw the occupants into a whip. That was an eye opener for me, once the tube gathers momentum there is little control except the person riding needs to "bail" into the water if they feel threatened .. Too many variables to blame anyone, we weren't there, not many of us have towed tubes long enough to know how easy mistakes happen... so leave it at that.

My daughters are the same age, and one of their girlfriends flys back home to Germany next week..... Too close to home for me, and I have actually had an injury occur to someone in that exact scenario I explained above. Only he walked away with a sore foot after ploughing into another boat. Frightened the crap out of me, have not driven for anyone since.

Scalem

[mitchdemeanor]

Well said scalem, I think it is very wise and respectful to reserve judgement on the subject.

[Chimo]

Our thoughts are with the families. Sad affair.

As ex Ski Club Official, ex ski racing participant and skier and driver in a past life water sport such as this is an activity with risks and often the unexpected does happen.

Given the situation we probably all need to sit on our fingers in relation to this and await the Coroner's inquest and report.

Cheers
Chimo

[finding_time]

Obviously were too close to the shore.
Pazz


Unfortunately on many country river systems , doing turns always puts you a little to close to shore!

I believe the they were far enough away but the tube hit a wave at the worst possible moment , flipped and the 3 girls were thrown , skimmed across the surface and into a tree! A terrible terrible shame!

[novice23]

What a tragic accident.
It sickens me to think of how easily this can happen.

[oldboot]

Honestly I believe you should require a specific licence and there should be specific required training to tow people and you should have to have held a boating licence for a period first.

Like a great many things, towable inflatable toys are very easy to obtain and far more dangerous than most people understand.

It must be raised, that unlike skis or even a toboggan ( havn't seen a toboggan for years), the rider has absolutely no control on an inflatable.....in addition the rider may have very little visability and no understanding of the situation they are in.

A sad situation in deed.

cheers

[Flex]

I honestly think it was the shape of the Dam that contributed significantly to the accident.

Very skinny specifically designed for water skiing, but lots of turns and the not many wide open space increases the chances of this accident happening.

If you look at the pictures, there is lots of spots and corners to navigate