FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Florida kite surfer died Wednesday afternoon, hours after a strong wind gust slammed him into the second floor of a Fort Lauderdale home.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue officials confirmed that the man launched from the beach and collided with the north side of the North Atlantic Boulevard house, WPLG reported.
Friends and loved ones identified the victim to the TV station as Fred Salter, who they said was in his 60s.
According to authorities, the strong wind picked the man up off the ground and carried him 400 feet, NBC News reported.
WFOR-TV’s helicopter captured aftermath footage that showed the man’s large red kite draped from the structure.
Kite Surfer Dies After Slamming Into Fort Lauderdale Beach Building https://t.co/PXM6sCCGws
— Lauren Pastrana CBS 4 (@LaurenPastrana) August 25, 2021
Witnesses said the crash occurred just before 10 a.m., and fire rescue officials confirmed to WPLG that the man was transported to Broward Health Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries at around 1 p.m.
Friend Mike Bradley told the TV station that Salter had been kite surfing for years and had recently beaten cancer.
“I keep thinking I should’ve been there this morning, but I can’t think that because Freddy was a very intelligent waterman,” Bradley told WPLG. “And it’s just how fast something can happen on the water. It’s just crazy.”
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