23 December’21: Festive kite-flying turned horrifying for a man from Sri Lanka who was swept off his feet and lifted 30 feet into the air.
The man was left hanging by the kite’s jute rope that drifted after a strong gust of wind blew across Point Pedro in the Jaffna district.
He was the only one holding the rope as five others behind him had let go.
The man, identified as Mr Manmohan, tried to bounce while holding onto the rope after the rest of the team let go of it. Unfortunately, the kite was too large for him to pull it down and the strong wind made it all the more difficult.
Following the freak incident, Manmohan was admitted to Point Pedro Hospital. Even though he crashed to the ground, he sustained only minor injuries
He said he was pulled into the air as he had no idea that the five people behind him had let go of the jute line.
Kite flying, a traditional sport played on Thai Pongal, is enjoyed by locals in Jaffna and other parts of Sri Lanka. During the festival, colourful and themed kites are made and flown by people of all ages.
