Tragedy struck on Monday as a man plunged to his death from a hot-air balloon flying over suburban Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city.
The ill-fated hot-air balloon had departed from Melbourne's northern suburbs early in the morning and had been airborne for approximately 30 minutes before the tragic incident occurred.
The man's lifeless body was discovered in a residential area that Victoria state police promptly cordoned off. Remarkably, the balloon touched down safely many miles away from where the man met his untimely end.
The National Commercial Hot-Air Ballooning Industry and the Australian Ballooning Federation extended their heartfelt condolences to the man's bereaved family and friends.
"Hot-air balloon baskets are designed with safety in mind, specifically to prevent passengers from falling out accidentally or from any accidental exit," their written statement said. "Passengers and the pilot are understandably traumatized by this tragedy and the operator is arranging psychological support and counselling for all affected."
Following the incident, several other hot air balloons made landings at nearby parks, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation here.
From 2008 to 2022, the global hot air balloon accidents resulted in less than 30 fatalities, as per data from Gitnux. Wind-related weather conditions contribute to 93% of severe hot air balloon incidents, according to the market research firm.
Recently, in Arizona, a hot air balloon crash claimed the lives of four individuals in January.
