Florida kite surfer killed after high winds knocked him into house

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla .– A kite surfer in Florida died Wednesday after a strong wind lifted the man off the ground, carried him to 400 feet and knocked him to the second floor of a house on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, authorities said.

Fort Lauderdale fire officials said the kite surfer hadn’t even entered the water yet when a strong wind blew him up into the air and into the house. He was taken to hospital, where he died a few hours later.

The name of the victim was not immediately disclosed.

In sports, participants typically hook a large kite to a safety harness, hook onto a bar, and then put their feet in straps attached to a surfboard. They then use the kite to pull them through the water.

Kites usually come with a safety trigger system that can quickly disconnect the surfer if he loses control or catches a dangerous wind. It was not known whether the victim’s kite had such a system or whether he had attempted to activate it.