Latest news with #Mugüerza
NBC News
14-05-2025
- NBC News
Man dies following hot air balloon disaster at festival in Mexico
A man was killed following a hot air balloon disaster at a festival in Mexico, officials said. Rodrigo Reyes Mugüerza, the secretary general of government in Zacatecas, said the incident occurred during the "celebration of the First Balloon Festival." "A person lost his life after a unfortunate incident while on board a hot air balloon," Mugüerza said Sunday in a translated Facebook post. "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." Two people were injured, Zacatecas' Attorney General's Office said in a translated Facebook post that announced an investigation had been launched. The office said two people who organized the event "have been obtained" after initially leaving the scene. Riviera Maya News reported that three people were in the hot air ballloon when the basket caught on fire around 8 a.m. local time Sunday. It was still on the ground with two other hot air balloons but broke free of the tether as a flame erupted in the basket. The man helped the two others get out but he became entangled in a rope as the balloon lifted into the air, according to the news outlet. He was seen suspended high in the air before falling to his death, the news outlet reported.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man Plummets to His Death After Clinging to Rope Under Burning Hot Air Balloon During Festival
A man has died after falling from a hot air balloon after it burst into flames during a festival in Mexico 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. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 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. Read the original article on People
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Man falls to his death from flaming hot air balloon in horrifying video
Horrifying footage showed flames consuming the lower half of the balloon mid-flight, with thick black smoke pouring into the sky - and a lone figure dangling desperately from a rope before falling Shocking footage has captured the harrowing moment a man plunged to his death after clinging to the bottom of a burning hot air balloon. The tragedy unfolded in Zacatecas, Mexico, on Sunday during the First Balloon Festival, Rodrigo Reyes Mugüerza, the Secretary General of Zacatecas, confirmed online. Horrifying footage showed flames consuming the lower half of the balloon mid-flight, with thick black smoke pouring into the sky. As the fire intensifies, a lone figure is seen dangling desperately from a rope beneath the blaze, before falling. Mugüerza said a participant had "lost his life" after an "unfortunate incident" while on board a hot air balloon. "Immediately, authorities rushed to the scene to provide care and support to the affected people," Mugüerza said in a statement posted to social media. "We have requested the State Prosecutor's Office to carry out the relevant investigations to clarify the facts and disclose responsibilities. We urge all municipal authorities to strengthen their verification mechanisms to avoid such risks during the development of their activities and festivities." The man, identified only as a 40-year-old Luicio N, according to local news outlet Riviera Maya News, died from his injuries. He is believed to have been inside the balloon with two other people when the fire broke out while the group were still on the ground. Luicio reportedly helped the other two passengers escape but got stuck in the rope while the balloon started to move. He was then lifted into the air and clung onto the rope several feet below the fire before the fatal drop. The horrifying clip went viral on social media, with many viewers rushing to comment on the tragic incident. "This man is a hero. That being said. I don't go in hot air balloons for a reason," one person said. "Heartbreaking. His final act was one of courage and sacrifice. May he rest in peace," another wrote. "What a tragic and heroic story. Luicio's final act of selflessness, trying to save others while facing his own peril, speaks volumes about the strength of the human spirit. RIP to him. His courage will not be forgotten," a third added. While hot air ballooning carries certain risks, fatal accidents remain extremely rare. According to data from Gitnux, the mortality rate is less than 0.01% per flight, with only around 1 to 2 accidents per 100,000 journeys - making it statistically safer than many other forms of aviation.
