A man died after he fell out of a hot-air balloon in Melbourne, Australia. The aircraft had been in the air for around 30 minutes when the man fell over the side of the basket above the city, on the morning of Monday.
According to the reports, the hot air balloon was said to be more than 450 metres off the ground and 30 minutes into flight when the man reportedly fell. His body was found around 7:30 am (local time) at Albert Street in Prestonwhere the emergency services was called.
The situations around his death were not clear but it is not being treated as suspicious. The police also spoke to the other occupants in the balloon to discover the details of the incident.
Later, the balloon landed safely around Yarra Bend Park, a few kilometres away from where the man’s body was found.
Albert Street had been closed on both sides after the incident between Wood Street and Murray Road and drivers were urged to avoid the area. Reportedly, the man’s fall left fellow passengers and the pilot traumatised as they witnessed the tragedy and counselling was being offered to them.
“Police will prepare a report for the coroner following the death of a man in Preston on Monday,” said a spokesperson for Victoria Police.
The National Commercial Hot Air Ballooning Industry and the Australian Ballooning Federation issued a joint statement expressing their condolences to the man’s family and friends.
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