Zip-lining accident???

[yoemen1988]

I received an e-mail from my chuch requesting prayer for a family (friends of one of our church members) that is on a spring break cruise. I believe they are from Conroe, Texas. The e-mail said the the mother's safety strap broke while zip-lining and she was killed. The dad, and children (8 yrs and 13 yrs) were not injured. Has anyone else heard about this? I was just wondering what ship they are on and where the accident happened. Regardless, this family needs all of our prayers.

[Purplehaze21]

The story I heard was this one:

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23730206/

 

It was really sad.

[yoemen1988]

That is the same name that was in the e-mail that I received. The e-mail I received said she was on a cruise, but maybe it was wrong. Very sad story......................

[janeke2]

Wow, my family and I did a zipline tour in 2005 (spring break) in Roatan, Honduras. I wonder if it was the same one? That's awful! Makes me think twice about future zipline adventures! You wonder how safe their equipment actually is. Up until now, I assumed it was safe...very sad for that family...

[Grayce]

I feel so sorry for this lady's family :(

 

This really makes you question the safety of doing extreme sports in a 3rd world country. I have been zip-lining here and we always had a back-up safety line in-case the primary one fails. I really wonder what safety standards are followed in other countries.

[maxamuus]

we always had a back-up safety line in-case the primary one fails.

 

I wondered this myself. I have never been on a zip line as my other half is worried this exact thing would happen, but i would have thought there would have been some sort of back up line in place?

[halos]

HOLY CRAP!

That's just awful....I can't imagine the horror of it...what that family must be going through. :( :(

[BND]

A lot of foreign countries do not have the safety laws that we do here and there's a lot of corruption. Just look at Mexico. I doubt inspections are carried out the way they should be. While I think zipling would be fun, I'm just a little too afraid and safety conscious to trust some of these countries with questionable governments and how regulations are enforced. And Honduras is not a place I would feel comfortable at all. I'm really surprised cruise ships port there. Not the first choice for a vacation. Yet, we're porting there in Nov. Not sure if we'll do anything other than a beach excursion.

[VentureMan_2000]

Just look at Mexico. I doubt inspections are carried out the way they should be.

 

 

 

It's a system of pay-offs... money talks, and is expected.

[cruiselover999]

My thoughts and prayers go out to this unfortunate family! My husband and son did the zip-lining adventure in Puerto Vallarta...I was too chicken. I would like to think that this was a freak accident. I've certainly never heard of any others. :( :(

[skylock]

A lot of foreign countries do not have the safety laws that we do here and there's a lot of corruption. Just look at Mexico. I doubt inspections are carried out the way they should be. While I think zipling would be fun, I'm just a little too afraid and safety conscious to trust some of these countries with questionable governments and how regulations are enforced. And Honduras is not a place I would feel comfortable at all. I'm really surprised cruise ships port there. Not the first choice for a vacation. Yet, we're porting there in Nov. Not sure if we'll do anything other than a beach excursion. Then I feel sorry for you. There is a lot more this world has to offer, but if you are content doing none of it, fine, but I will have no regrets on my day of judgement.[/quote]

 

Oh yes, so much better to trust the safety in the USA, where cranes fall off the sides of buildings, bridges collapse, and tunnels cave in. Everyday stuff that we drive/walk by on a daily basis.

 

People need to get a grip. I happen to like the way other countries handle safety issues. I hate living in a nanny state. I have been zip lining in Roatan and will be doing it again in June.

 

If you are going to stop doing things that can be dangerous and kill you, better put your car up for sale tomorrow to start. There has never been an invention that has killed so many people.

 

Accidents happen and equipment fails. I highly doubt anyone operating the zip line was taking bets on when the harness was going to fail. The operation of that zip line was the way they make a living.

 

If you do not think the equipment is up to par, then don't do whatever it was you were thinking of doing, but do not think you will be perfectly safe on the say so of the operators or anyone on these boards. **** happens. Even in the US.

 

I just hope the family had cruise insurance.

 

And just for the record, I would far rather die from falling from a zip line in Roatan that lying in a bed with multiple lines to my body not even able to scratch my own nose in my local hospital/nursing home.

 

Oh yeah, one more thing, what kind of a dream land do you live in if you think there is no corruption in the US?

[dec2007w3boys]

I felt safer zip lining in Honduras then what I feel driving down the interstate to work everyday. Accidents do happen and if we worry about all of them, we would never leave our homes. Then at home we have ovens, furnaces, electrical wiring....

 

We loved our zip line tour and felt safe the entire time. I allowed by 10 year old to go and would not have started or stopped quickly had I not. I am terribly sorry this tragic accident occured for this ladies family. :( However, I would zip line in Honduras again tomorrow. If I were only there.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I have heard of other zipline incidents - a CCer on one of our cruises basically SLAMMED into a small girl who had come to a stop midway. No one was severely injured.

 

Yes - there are risks associated with all activities such as these. Yes, in a foreign country there is less in the way of safety oversight (government). Yes, you can be hurt in the states too.

 

NO, I don't care to put myself at unnecessary risk in a foreign country to get a thrill. I can do that right at home every time I drive on I-95 :eek:

 

We all choose what fits in our comfort level. Freedom of choice!

 

Tom

[pe4all]

The linked article says a harness broke. If the harness broke, even a back-up safety line wouldn't work, as it hooks into the harness. What a horrible accident, especially for her family/children to witness. My thoughts are with the family...

[Carnival Game]

 

If you are going to stop doing things that can be dangerous and kill you, better put your car up for sale tomorrow to start. There has never been an invention that has killed so many people.

 

Hardly a fair comparison. We HAVE to drive, or ride a bus, to get to our jobs, schools, grocery store, etc. It's not necessary to zipline! What if your child was on that zipline when it dropped? Would you say, "Hey, sh*t happens, at least he was having fun!"? No, you'd be saying, "Why did I let him do that?"

[fern1226]

Wow. That is awful.

[FIRSTTIMERCRUISER]

There is already another thread going on this http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...php?p=13887982

 

Just so that you know, the lady was not on a cruise her and her family (from what the story says) was on a weeks land vacation there.

 

Check out the link.:D

[skylock]

 

Hardly a fair comparison. We HAVE to drive, or ride a bus, to get to our jobs, schools, grocery store, etc. It's not necessary to zipline! What if your child was on that zipline when it dropped? Would you say, "Hey, sh*t happens, at least he was having fun!"? No, you'd be saying, "Why did I let him do that?"

 

Well you see, that is where you would be wrong. I happen to be a person that understands **** happens and sometimes people die.

 

Live your life as boring as you see fit, but for me, I will not live in a shell because if I do something it might kill me. And I will not keep experiences from my kids because there is a chance of an accident.

 

If I stopped them from zip lining because there was a chance of an accident, then they were killed on the way home, or whatever, I would forever wish I had let them do the zip line. Kind of a no win situation isn't it?

 

But chances are very slim that either thing will happen.

 

I am not saying take stupid chances, but **** happens and it happens whether you are doing something you have no choice on or are doing something for enjoyment. I would rather it be on something I enjoyed doing.

[Carnival Game]

It's easy to say that when the tragedy hasn't happened to your family. If it did, I believe you'd be having second thoughts. I know I WOULD if my son was killed on something so frivolous.

[vacruizer]

I have heard of other zipline incidents - a CCer on one of our cruises basically SLAMMED into a small girl who had come to a stop midway. No one was severely injured.

 

Yes - there are risks associated with all activities such as these. Yes, in a foreign country there is less in the way of safety oversight (government). Yes, you can be hurt in the states too.

 

NO, I don't care to put myself at unnecessary risk in a foreign country to get a thrill. I can do that right at home every time I drive on I-95 :eek:

 

We all choose what fits in our comfort level. Freedom of choice!

 

Tom

 

I agree. Weigh your options and take calculated risks. There is a difference between being fearful of everything and making your own decision. We also had a lady on our last cruise hurt pretty badly on a zipline in Costa Rica - I believe she also made some posts here over on the port boards when she returned.

 

I would love to zipline one day, but have heard enough reports of injuries/accidents that for me, personally, I think I'd rather do it somewhere I am not on a rushed time schedule and know that I am near good medical care in the rare event something should happen - not in a remote jungle somewhere or on an island that may have not so great of a hospital. That doesn't mean you shouldn't go ziplining on your cruise - thousands of people do it all the time without incident. But make your own personal decision based on your comfort level.

[BND]

 

Hardly a fair comparison. We HAVE to drive, or ride a bus, to get to our jobs, schools, grocery store, etc. It's not necessary to zipline! What if your child was on that zipline when it dropped? Would you say, "Hey, sh*t happens, at least he was having fun!"? No, you'd be saying, "Why did I let him do that?"

 

I didn't say what you quoted. You took it out of someone else's obnoxious reponse to my post. Read my post and you'll see that. I do not feel that way so please be aware of what is actually posted!

 

And SKYLOCK, I feel sorry for you if you think you're feeling sorry for my choices affects my life in any way. I don't take unnecessary risks. Do you? As for the corruption post, if you think the type of corruption exists in this country the way it does in central america, I feel sorry for you. They don't even have most of the regulations or anyone to enforce them. You are an example of a truly uninformed individual. Your post was not helpful at all to the situation and I'm sure the family doesn't care whether they had cruise insurance or not. Are you always so helpful? And of course, driving and zip lining are absolutely the same thing, why didnt' the rest of us think of that?

[Carnival Game]

Sorry I misquoted you.

[skylock]

It's easy to say that when the tragedy hasn't happened to your family. If it did, I believe you'd be having second thoughts. I know I WOULD if my son was killed on something so frivolous.

 

 

I am certainly glad you are not the decision maker for me or my family. You must have a really boring life because I can't think of anything that there is not an element of danger in. People were shot and killed this week while eating at McDonalds. Small plane crashed into a house last month. No survivors in either the house or the plane. Woman killed on a boat in Fla when a sting ray jumped out of the water and hit her in the head. Just to mention a few things I remember so you can add eating at Mc Donalds, riding in a boat or being in your house to the list of dangerous things to avoid.

 

I have a son and a bf in Kuwait as I type and I would far rather they both be on the zip line in Roatan and we will be in June if all goes well.

[Carnival Game]

Nope, we have lots of fun. Just don't have the need to zipline or skydive. To each his own.

[kodiac]

I really feel bad for the families loss and my prayers go out to them.

 

I have been zip lining here and other third world countries and I will do it again. Even though I am no sure what happened in this accident, I am sure safety is always thought about in any country. Life is too short to not take risks - if so, none of us would purchase homes, buy motorcycles, open businesses, go scuba diving, and do/see so many other places in the world.