By AP/KWMU
St. Louis, MO – The Army Corps of Engineers has banned kite tubes on five more lakes in Missouri and Illinois, and on portions of the Mississippi and other rivers.
The ban applies to Mark Twain and Wappapello lakes in Missouri and Shelbyville, Carlyle and Rend lakes in Illinois. It also applies to portions of the Mississippi, Kaskaskia and Illinois rivers. The corps cites danger, deaths and injuries for the ban.
Kite tubes are large inflatable devices. Pulled by power boats, the device lifts into the air - like a kite with a rider on top.
But the Corps notes that too often, the rider can be thrown from the kite. It cites at least three deaths across the country of people using kite tubes, and more than 30 serious injuries.