Cruise Ship Law

The parents of a 15-year old girl who died in a parasailing accident off Pompano Beach and South Florida Senator are vowing to work toward laws and regulations to ensure that this type of accident doesn’t happen again.

Amber White was mortally injured, her 17-year old sister Crystal serious injured when the towline attached to their parasail snapped sending the girl crashing into the 2nd floor balcony of a beachside hotel.

In a statement Wednesday by Dennis White, the girl’s father, along with his sister Dina and their extended family said they appreciated all the prayers and kind words.

“We have been dealt a terrible blow, and the world has lost a precious soul. Crystal is doing remarkably well considering the circumstances and has demonstrated a strength unmatched by anyone around her…..We are working night and day to ensure a tragedy of this kind never happens again. We are focused on Crystal's recovery and the preservation of Amber's memory. Through her death, Amber will set into motion laws and regulations that will potentially save the lives of others. She would have had it no other way.”

Amber will be buried Sunday in Summerfield, outside of Ocala.

Also Wednesday, Senator Gwen Margolis drafted a bill concerning new parasail regulations that she intends to file when the new session begins next month.

Under her bill, parasail operators would have to stay a minimum of 2-thousand feet offshore and they would not be allowed to operate when the wind reaches 20 knots. They would also have to carry liability insurance policy.

“It makes me sick to see people dying for no reason, especially our kids,” Senator Margolis told CBS4.Com, “This bill will save lives.”

Currently, there are no state or federal regulations that apply specifically to parasailing, but the boat operators are covered by the same rules that apply to all commercial vessels.

Broward Sheriff’s investigators have yet to rule what may have caused the accident. Equipment failure, bad weather and possibly careless boating, or any combination of these factors, are all being considered.

CBS 4