Man Plummets to His Death After Clinging to Rope Under Burning Hot Air Balloon During Festival
The tragedy occurred on Sunday, May 11, during the First Balloon Festival, held as part of the 2025 Enrique Estrada Fair
"We urge all municipal authorities to strengthen their verification mechanisms to avoid such risks during the development of their activities and festivities," Secretary General of the Zacatecas government, Rodrigo Reyes Mugüerza, said in a Facebook postA man has died after falling from a hot air balloon that went up in flames during a festival in Mexico.
On Sunday, May 11, the Secretary General of the Zacatecas government, Rodrigo Reyes Mugüerza, confirmed on Facebook that an accident had occurred during the First Balloon Festival, held as part of the 2025 Enrique Estrada Fair.
"I regret to inform that, during the celebration of the First Balloon Festival, framed by the Fair Enrique Estrada 2025 organized by the city council of this municipality, a person lost his life after a unfortunate incident while on board a hot air balloon," the translated post read.
Footage shared by the Aviation News account @fl360aero on X showed the hot air balloon bursting into flames, before lifting off the ground with a person attached to it.
The accident occurred around 8 a.m. local time on Sunday morning, around 19 miles from the city of Zacatecas, per the Riviera Maya News.
"Immediately, authorities rushed to the scene to provide care and support to the affected people. We have requested the State Prosecutor's Office to carry out the relevant investigations to clarify the facts and disclose responsibilities," Mugüerza said in the Facebook post.
"We urge all municipal authorities to strengthen their verification mechanisms to avoid such risks during the development of their activities and festivities," the message concluded.
The Associated Press reported that the operator of the balloon had jumped from the burning aircraft to his death after becoming trapped.
The balloon was thought to have been carrying three people, and the one man was able to get the other two occupants out, the Riviera Maya News stated. However, he then became entangled in the rope and was lifted into the air.
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Local authorities said the man died from injuries sustained in the fall, per the AP.
Event organizers insisted the aircraft, which was privately operated, had previously passed safety checks, the news agency reported.
The Secretary General of the Zacatecas government didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
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