As at June last year, kitesurfing fatalities were at approx 65 according to Ricki Lossi's sobering statistics:

kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2331754&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=40

...with the spread being:

2007 - 3 (up till June)
2006 - 13, possibly 16
2005 - 16
2004 - 11
2003 - 5
2002 - 10
2001 - 3
2000 - 1

(note these are just the deaths Ricki has been able track so the figures are apparently likely higher again)

Which makes it twice as dangerous as scuba diving (in terms of deaths per 100,000 people) though a lot less dangerous than paragliding. Apparently snow skiing and snow-boarding are actually safer than walking!

Does anyone know how many more deaths there have been in the last 8 months?

Also, what I haven't been able to find out are the statistics on major yet non-lethal injuries (spinal, head etc) amongst kite surfers. Does anyone have those sorts of figures?

I have to admit that after a near death experience myself, my 12m Airush has been sitting in our garage and I've gone back to windsurfing. I haven't found any stats on windsurfing fatalities since the 70's but to my knowledge it is a blip in comparison.

-Mart