Haunting video shows the final moments of a thrill seeker who plunged 450 meters to his death from a hot air balloon over Melbourne
HAUNTING video shows a thrill seeker’s final moments before plummeting 450 meters to his death from a hot air balloon in Melbourne.
Footage taken by one of the other ten passengers on board the balloon during the ascent shows the victim wearing a brown sweater.
6
6
6
The video below also shows the balloon shortly after takeoff, around 7am on Monday morning.
Witnesses said the man looked fine and was talking to the ride operator politics as the balloon rose into the air.
But in a suspected act of self-harm, the man suddenly left the basket without warning and plunged to his death.
The pilot immediately made a May Day call because he was shocked motorists and families on the ground witnessed the man fall through the air.
The man’s body was found in a front garden in Albert Street in the north-east suburb of Preston Melbourneshortly after.
Emergency services were immediately called to the scene, where power lines had fallen across the road.
Police have cordoned off the street as they investigate the fatal accident.
A white sheet soon covered the man’s body on the sidewalk under an SES tent.
Passengers on board the hot air balloon are reportedly deeply traumatized by what happened and have received counseling from the operator.
As for the hot air balloon, it landed safely at Yarra Bend Park in Fairfield, 7.9 miles away, with police already waiting by the time it arrived.
A police statement said: “Police are speaking to the other occupants of the balloon and witnesses to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The death is not considered suspicious.”
It is understood several hot air balloons had taken off at the same time and had been on their way for 15 minutes when the incident occurred.
According to passengers on another hot air balloon, they heard emergency calls over the radio that someone had fallen from another balloon in Preston.
Shocked residents were also warned of loud sirens in the streets, shortly after hearing a loud “thud”.
One resident told local media: “My brother heard a loud bang, almost like something big falling into your house. And it wasn’t until we heard all the sirens that we came out.”
Power was cut in a number of homes and there were reports of damage to buildings.
Officers will prepare a report for the coroner.
If you are experiencing any of the issues discussed in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
6
6
6