Arab woman killed while parasailing in Batu Ferringhi

An Arab woman fell to her death while parasailing in Batu Ferringhi yesterday afternoon.

North-East district police chief ACP Gan Kong Meng said the victim, Aldakhilallad Eman Mohamed, 35, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, fell from a height of 6.10 metres into the sea, 20 metres from the beach.

"The victim was wearing a life jacket and other safety gear. According to the victim's boat driver the victim did not pull the string on the left side to land so the boat driver went on another round to enable her to land.

"But while approaching the landing point, the woman apparently slipped out of the harness and plunged into the water," he told a press conference here today.

The woman died on the way to a private hospital. Her body was then sent to the Penang Hospital's Forensics Department for post-mortem.

Police have detained a man, believed to be the boat driver, to assist in investigations.

Gan said the victim had arrived in the country with her parents on Tuesday and was supposed to check out from the hotel they were staying in on Saturday.