Kites, the oldest known heavier-than-air objects, have been flown for thousands of years. Originating in China about 3,000 years ago, they’ve been used for everything from entertainment to distributing propaganda and even spying. Today, most people fly kites for fun, but it’s easy to forget that they can be dangerous.
Each year, dozens of people are injured, and some even killed, by kites. In January 2023, a kite festival in India saw three children lose their lives and another 176 injured. Here are ten tragic stories of people who died in kite-related accidents.
An Indian Boy Electrocuted
On January 12, 2023, in Sangareddy, India, a young boy and his friends went to the roof of a rented house to fly kites. Tragically, one of the kites touched a power line. The boy tried to remove the kite and suffered severe burns. He later died at a medical center, having suffered burns on over 90 percent of his body. His friends also sustained burns.
India’s high-voltage power lines can carry up to 765 kV AC, equivalent to 115,000 volts. Shocks above 2,700 volts can be fatal, and above 11,000 volts, they usually are. Current, measured in amperes, is a critical factor in determining the outcome of such accidents.
Man Falls to Death While Flying Kite
In 2021, a 44-year-old man in Hyderabad, India, fell to his death while flying a kite with his neighbors during a Sankranti celebration. He was on the terrace of a building and got too close to the edge, losing his balance and falling four stories onto a metal gate.
Following the accident, the police commissioner urged people to avoid flying kites from elevated places and asked parents to warn children about the dangers of running into busy roads to retrieve kites. Falls from significant heights are often deadly, with falls from eight stories (approximately 98 feet) almost always resulting in fatalities.
Man Electrocuted by Kite String
In July 2017, India’s National Green Tribunal banned manja—a non-biodegradable kite string made of nylon or other synthetics. Two months later, a 33-year-old man in eastern India was flying a kite with manja partially made with glass and metal dust.
The kite became entangled in a 33,000-volt power line. The manja acted as a conductor, and the man was electrocuted. His son, who was holding the string, was thrown backward by the shock. The man later died from his injuries, and other family members were also injured trying to help.
Boy Dies After Fall from Giant Kite
In 2015, a five-year-old boy in Vietnam died after getting caught in the ropes of a giant kite. He was pulled into the air and fell 65 feet (20 meters) to the ground. Onlookers watched in horror as the kite ascended so quickly that no one could save him.
The boy had wandered away from his mother while the Saigon Kite Club was launching the kite, which was almost 50 feet (15 meters) wide and bore a replica of the Vietnamese flag. The kite had fallen several times before, and as it finally took off, it knocked over tables and chairs. The boy likely approached the kite to retrieve soft drink bottles and became entangled in its strings.
Giant Japanese Kite Kills One
During the Higashiomi Giant Kite Festival in Japan in 2015, a kite weighing over 1,000 pounds (453 kilograms) fell from the sky, injuring four people. One of the injured men later died. Spectators said the kite appeared unstable shortly after becoming airborne, tilting to the side before crashing to the ground.
A strong wind warning had been issued on the day of the event. This tragedy marked the second deadly accident involving a giant kite in Japan within a ten-week period, highlighting the risks associated with these large-scale kites.
Boy Dies After Falling into Gutter While Flying Kite
In 2023, a boy in Cuttack, India, left his house without telling his family. While flying his kite, he fell into an open drain in the Bidanasi area and died. The Cuttack Municipal Corporation officials blamed the family, stating that construction work on the drain had stopped two months prior, leaving it open.
If the drain had been covered with concrete slabs, the accident might never have happened. This incident was not isolated; a few weeks earlier, a South Korean journalist had also fallen into an open drain in Bhubaneswar, India, highlighting the dangers of uncovered public infrastructure.
Mumbai Boy’s Throat Slit by Kite String
In 2023, a boy in Mumbai, India, was looking out of his family’s sunroof while traveling on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway. A kite string suddenly wrapped around his neck, causing a severe injury. His mother, a doctor, and another physician tried to help, but the boy died from his injuries.
The kite string was made of nylon. Tragically, on the same day and in the same area, another young girl died in a similar manner while also looking out of a sunroof, underscoring the deadly potential of kite strings.
11 Killed at Pakistan Kite Festival
During an annual spring kite festival in eastern Pakistan, eleven people were killed, and over 100 were injured. Deaths were caused by stray celebratory bullets, kite strings, electrocution from kites, and falls from rooftops while flying kites.
Many kite flyers use wire or sharp kite strings made from ground glass to cut rival kite strings, causing injuries and deaths to birds, people, and other animals. In response, Pakistani police arrested over 700 people for using dangerous kite strings or firing weapons and seized 282 illegally held weapons. A temporary ban on kite flying was imposed following a series of festival deaths and re-imposed after these fatalities.
Man Riding Motorbike Killed by Kite String
In early 2023, a man in Surat, India, was riding his motorbike home from work when a stray kite string slit his neck. He managed to stop his bike but sustained severe injuries to his throat and neck. He was taken to a hospital but later died.
The incident occurred shortly before India’s Uttaryan kite festival, also known as Makar Sankranti, a harvest festival that marks the end of winter and the start of longer days. During the festival, people yell “Kai Po Che” while flying kites, but the celebrations can sometimes lead to tragic accidents.
English Man Killed Flying a Stunt Kite
In 2011, a 20-year-old man in Bedfordshire, England, experienced in flying stunt kites, fell 50 feet (15 meters) after a strong gust of wind caught his kite. He wasn’t wearing safety gear. The man was thrown forward and into the air before striking the ground.
He broke his arm, legs, and pelvis and is believed to have suffered a heart attack and a brain injury. Ambulance workers found him unconscious and not breathing, and he was later pronounced dead. Kite flying associations recommend caution when flying stunt kites due to their substantial pull, lift, and speed. UK laws prohibit flying kites higher than 197 feet (60 meters) without permission, but these precautions couldn’t prevent this tragic accident.
Kite flying, while often seen as harmless fun, can have deadly consequences. These stories highlight the need for safety and awareness when participating in this popular pastime.
Have you ever witnessed or experienced a kite-flying accident? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
