A 59 year old woman
Werner from Felton, fell 35 feet to her death from a zip line platform in after
she allegedly disconnected herself from the safety system, the
attraction's
operator said Thursday.
Delaware State
Police investigators are investigating how Tina Werner tumbled off the platform
at the Go Ape Tree Top Adventure attraction in Lums Pond State Park on
Wednesday.
Participants at Go
Ape courses are equipped with climbing harnesses and two sets of ropes with
carabiners that they unclip and clip to safety wires in sequence as they move
through the trees and Werner, had completed the required safety training, and
was nearing the end of the course when she fell, said Jeff Davis, a spokesman
for Go Ape.
He said:
"Participant
witnesses have stated that at the time of the accident the participant had
unfortunately disconnected herself from the safety system" .
An inspection found
that all of the course and associated safety equipment was in sound operating
condition, and that "nothing was broken or unserviceable," Davis
wrote.
Werner's daughter,
Melissa Slater, described her mom as "super fun," and
"adventurous." After traveling to Venice, Italy and taking a hot-air
balloon ride, Werner had told her daughter Tuesday that riding the zip line was
next.
She said of her mum:
"She was
finishing her bucket list."
According to the
website of Go Ape, which is based in Frederick, Maryland, and operates
attractions in 15 states, patrons receive a 30-minute training session before
being turned loose on the course, which can take them as high as 50 feet in the
air.
Slater said her mom,
who was visiting Lums Pond with a friend, was able to complete at least one zip
line ride before falling.xx "So she did do it".
The Spokesperson
said the attraction has been closed for now to help with the investigation, and
out of respect to Werner's family.
"The Go Ape
company is extremely saddened by this," he said. Park rangers and Go Ape
employees performed first aid on Werner until paramedics arrived, but she was
pronounced dead at Christiana Hospital, Maryland.
Source:
Delawareonline.com
Follow Solenzo Blog on
0 Comments