Overland Park man suffers serious injuries in flyboard accident at Lake of the Ozarks

UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: Witnesses of a flyboard crash that happened at the Lake of the Ozarks on Saturday night told ABC 17 News that the man was flying too close to the jet ski.

Witness Shannon Gramm gave ABC 17 News exclusive video he took of the men using the flyboard shortly before it crashed and video of people pulling an unconscious man, Brian Effertz, out of the water shortly after the crash.

Gramm and other witnesses said the hose that connected the flyboard to the jet ski seemed shorter than most other hoses, which may have been the reason why Effertz was too close to the jet ski.

Sgt. Scott White, spokesperson for Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F, said the crash was the first reported flyboard accident with serious injuries at the Lake of the Ozarks that he could recall. MSHP online records confirmed it was.

Amanda, marketing manager at the local water sports business Iguana, said the store used to rent out flyboards, but stopped two years ago. She said the insurance they needed to have to use them increased and it wasn’t worth the money to continue renting them out.

Amanda said when they did rent out flyboards, all Iguana staff who used them were trained in how to properly operate the flyboard and the jet ski that was attached.

Amanda suggested everyone should know how to properly use any watercraft before taking it out.

Family of Effertz said he suffered about eight broken bones in the accident.

UPDATE 2:26 P.M.: Effertz is now in fair condition.

ORIGINAL STORY: A 46-year-old man was seriously injured after falling onto a jet ski after using a water jet device at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Brian Effertz was steering a Zapato Flyboard that was being towed by a 2007 Seadoo when he lost his balance and fell 10 to 12 feet onto the Seadoo. The driver of the Seadoo was controlling the throttle of the flyboard.

Effertz was flown to University Hospital with serious injuries.