A tourist died on Saturday after falling into the Bay of Bengal while parasailing at Cox’s Bazar, local authorities and witnesses said. The incident comes after allegations that the operator continued operating despite a recent administrative ban during stormy weather.

Akshar Shouvik Roy from Khulna was one of nine friends visiting the Cox’s Bazar beach. He paid BDT 2,000 for a ride at Darianagar beach’s Sea Sports Zone. After being lifted to a height of 300 to 400 feet, he suddenly fell into the water, police and eyewitnesses said.

Staff from the parasailing company pulled him from the sea and took him to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“He was already dead when brought to the hospital at 2:10 pm,” said Dr Subaktagin Mohammad Sohel, the hospital’s resident medical officer. “The initial assessment suggests death by drowning. The exact cause will be known after autopsy.”

The body was taken to the morgue, executive magistrate Mahmudul Hasan said.

Satellite Vision Sea Sports has operated parasailing at Darianagar beach for more than a decade. The district administration had recently banned parasailing during stormy weather, but the company continued operating. Tourists had frequently been injured after falling from parasails, yet no action had been taken against the company.

Repeated attempts to contact owner Mohammad Farid for comment were unsuccessful.