Man Dies After Horrific Hot Air Balloon Fall in Australia
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A man died in Australia after falling from a hot air balloon over a residential area on Monday.
The victim, who has not been named, plunged from the basket around 30 minutes into the flight as the balloon passed over the suburbs of Melbourne in the southern state of Victoria. Local authorities are speaking to the balloon’s passengers and pilot to establish the circumstances surrounding the man’s fall, but police say the death is not being treated as suspicious.
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Residents in the area described hearing a disturbing sound at the time of the incident. “My brother heard like a loud bang, almost like something—like a large item falling in your house,” one person told Nine News. “It wasn’t until we heard all the sirens that we came out.”
The balloon later landed several miles away from where the man’s body was found.
The Australian Ballooning Federation and the National Commercial Hot Air Ballooning Industry released a statement offering condolences to the deceased’s loved ones.
“Hot air balloon baskets are designed with safety in mind, specifically to prevent passengers from falling out accidentally or from any accidental exit,” the statement read, according to the Associated Press. “Passengers and the pilot are understandably traumatized by this tragedy and the operator is arranging psychological support and counseling for all affected.”
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