A kite surfer looking for some recreational fun off Italy’s Sicilian coast got more than he bargained for when the weather conditions changed abruptly.
Published Nov. 4, 2021 10:59 AM EST | Updated Nov. 5, 2021 12:39 PM EST
For most people living and working on land, the difference between a calm day and a breezy day will not significantly impact, or bring danger to, their daily lives. It's a completely different story out on the water, where even slight changes in the overall weather conditions can sometimes lead to dangerous results.
One person hitting the waves just off Italy's Sicilian coast learned this lesson the hard way on Tuesday.
On Tuesday afternoon, a kitesurfer took to the water off the coast near Pozzallo, a popular tourist destination in the warmer months, but his thrill ride quickly became serious after a sudden shift in the weather.
A search and rescue mission was deployed and lasted for five hours before the man was finally located and brought to safety, according to the Guardia Costiera, Italy's coast guard.
Guardia Costiera via Storyful
Coordinates from the dramatic rescue footage placed the kitesurfer just over 2 miles from the nearest coast at the time of his rescue.
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The man survived by clutching onto his kitesurfing board for hours until help arrived under the cover of darkness. After finally being pulled into a rescue boat on Tuesday evening, the man was taken back to dry land to receive medical assistance.
Like any water sport conducted on the open sea, kitesurfing is highly subject to the whims of Mother Nature. Slight variations in the overall weather pattern can take a fun day on the water and turn it into a terrifying, hours-long ordeal in just moments.
As the name implies, the sport of kitesurfing involves surfing with the aid of kites. Depending on the strength of the wind, kitesurfers swap out both kite size and line length to fit the appropriate conditions.
Typically, stronger winds mean only smaller kites are required, while on days that are less windy, larger kites may be required in order to surf.
On Tuesday, forecasters say conditions just off the southern Sicilian coast shifted quickly during the afternoon hours.
"The early afternoon saw stronger winds blow near the surface, which may have pulled the kitesurfer farther out to sea than he originally intended," AccuWeather Meteorologist Niki LoBiondo explained.
"Wind speeds near the surface decreased quickly as the afternoon continued."
The combination of a lack of stronger winds and a great distance from shore likely led the kitesurfer to run out of options and become stranded quickly.
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