Jet skis are a popular recreational vehicle commonly used in lakes and oceans across the United States. Jet skis, also called personal watercrafts (PWC), may be fun, but they can also be deadly. The rise of PWC rentals along beaches and lakes has made the vessels highly popular and with this comes people who are inexperienced operating them. Operator error is the number one cause of most PWC accidents. Another major cause is operating the craft at unsafe speeds. Inattention is also a major factor in PWC accidents. Defective or missing safety equipment and operating the PWC while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs were also factors in many jet ski accidents.
Local 10 News reports that a newlywed has been killed in a Wave Runner accident in the Florida Keys. The incident happened on Thursday at about 11:30 a.m. in Key Haven Basin.
Someone called 911 and reported a serious crash with injuries according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. The FWC said that a rented 2019 Wave Runner struck the support of a power pole.
27-year-old Aakash Putta was operating the wave runner. His wife, 25-year-old Sindhura Chilakapati was behind him on the craft. Both were thrown into the water during the collision.
Putta died from his injuries. His wife was airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center where she was said to be in stable condition.
The accident is still under investigation; however, authorities do not believe that alcohol was a factor in the crash.