Parasailing Accident Recovery: Indiana Teens Critically Hurt in Florida

A parasailing accident left two Indiana teens injured earlier this week, but the two are recovering from the accident at a Florida hospital. One of the girls remains in critical condition.

Sidney Good and Alexis Fairchild, both 17, were parasailing off the coast of Panama City while on vacation July 1, but things took a turn when the girls' sail detached from the boat and slammed into a nearby condominium highrise.

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"Our daughters are still at Bay Medical Center in Panama City, Florida, recovering from a parasailing accident on July 1; however we have seen more progress from yesterday," the families said in a joint statement released Thursday.

"Alexis was able to walk today with a walker and the assistance of a physical therapist and she walked into Sidney's room to visit. Sidney is still in critical condition, but we are seeing small signs of progress. She is able to open one of her eyes and communicate to us with nods and gestures."

The accident cast light on the parasailing industry, which operates with barely any regulation. Since 1998 there have been 33 parasailing accidents in Florida alone, six of which resulted in fatalities, ABC News reported.

Aquatic Adventures, the company that runs the parasailing business that injured Good and Fairchild, is currently being sued for negligence after a similar incident. In 2009, two people were flung into the water after their sail detached from the boat.

Earlier this year, Florida lawmakers tried to pass a bill that would have banned parasailing whenever the National Weather Service forecasts winds of more than 20 mph. It also would have required boats carrying parasailers to stay at least 1,800 feet from the shore. That bill ended up failing in committee, which led to it not passing.

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