On Friday, March 22, 2024, at approximately 11:15 a.m., St. Petersburg Fire Rescue responded to the St. Pete Pier for reports of an injured kiteboarder.
Units arrived to find an injured adult male on the pier. Paramedics stabilized and treated the kiteboarder. He was transported in critical but stable condition to Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital.
The video in the link below shows the kiteboarder striking the side of the pier. Video obtained from an unnamed bystander.
St. Petersburg Fire Rescue urges water sports enthusiasts to take caution when participating in a water sport during extreme weather. Do not take unnecessary risks, and please follow safety recommendations from weather experts.
Another kiteboarder, this morning, was injured in a long fall onto the beach at Ft. DeSoto.