Kitesurfer badly hurt at Pettycur Bay near Kinghorn, Fife

Published on 16/09/2012 00:48

A KITESURFER has been airlifted to hospital with spinal injuries after an accident on a Fife beach.

The 30-year-old man suffered significant injuries in the incident on Pettycur Bay near Kinghorn at around 10.30am yesterday. He was flown to 
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Kitesurfers use a board attached to a large kite to propel them across the water.

Forth Coastguard said the area is used by all types of surfers at the weekend.

A spokesman said: “It’s been a windy day, and the more wind the better for waves, and the more they seem to enjoy it. With the kitesurfers, some of them have their feet attached to the board, so a change in the wind can lift them into the air and pull them in the wrong direction.”

Pettycur Bay is one of the most popular areas for kitesurfing in Scotland.

Meanwhile, a 72-year-old lone sailor had a miraculous escape off the Outer Hebrides yesterday after being swept overboard by a giant wave.

The man managed to clamber back on board the 30ft yacht Meris, whose distress beacon radioed the alarm and gave a GPS position 30 miles north of the Butt of Lewis.

Stornoway Lifeboat was launched at 1.30pm and the Stornoway Coastguard search and rescue helicopter was also sent – reaching the yacht at 2.40pm – to keep an eye on 
the sailor until the lifeboat 
arrived.

“Somehow he managed to clamber back on board and says he only has slight injuries to his limbs,” said a spokeswoman for Stornoway Coastguard.

“To add to the problems, the incident also caused the cabin doors to be knocked off – meaning that the boat could be swamped at any time in those conditions.”