How many ways can a vacation go wrong?
A Saudi Arabian tourist, Mohammed Ali Warrad Abdul Wahab, 26, was parasailing in Phuket, Thailand, earlier this week (July 1) when he found himself in a terrifying, and somewhat embarrassing predicament.
According to reports, Abdul Wahab was parasailing at Kamala Beach in the evening when “a rapid change in wind direction” caused the parasail to swerve off course and towards a nearby casuarina tree.
His parasail got caught on the branches and left him suspended five metres above ground.
Police were immediately called to his rescue and with the help of emergency services, they procured a crane from the Kamala Subdistrict Administrative Organisation to aid in the process.
Abdul Wahab was eventually brought down from the tree unharmed.
The police later released a statement, urging tourists to be “briefed thoroughly on safety measures before participating in parasailing or other adventurous activities”.
Operators of such activities were also advised to stay well-informed of weather forecasts, and to conduct consistent checks on their equipment to avert similar incidents.