Greenville Man Killed in Florida Parasailing Accident

By Aaron Barker, Digital Content Manager LONGBOAT KEY, FL (FOX Carolina) – A Greenville man was killed during a parasailing accident in Florida this week. The Coast Guard said David Sieradzki was unconscious when he was pulled from the Gulf of Mexico off Longboat Key. Sieradzki had been parasailing hundreds of feet above the water when he fell into the ocean. A Coast Guard spokesman said Sieradzki’s wife was with him and saw the accident happened. Investigators said it appears the boat had a mechanical problem and wasn’t able to maintain enough speed to keep the parachute in the air. “Our understanding is that it was able to make what we call bare steerage way, or just enough propulsion to maintain course, but it could not come up to its normal speed,” said Coast Guard Comm. Peter Martin. Sieradzki, his wife and other family members were on the boat Almost Heaven, which is operated by Fun and Sun Parasail on Bradenton Beach. The Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service were investigating the accident.