Horrifying video captured the tragic moment a man fell to his death after dangling from a hot air balloon on fire.
The tragedy occurred on Sunday at the First Balloon Festival in Zacatecas, Zacatecas in Mexico, Rodrigo Reyes Mugüerza, the Secretary General of Zacatecas, confirmed on social media.
The horrific video footage showed the hot air balloon traveling in the air as the bottom half was engulfed in flames.
As smoke billowed from the balloon, a person could be seen dangling on a rope in the sky.
Mugüerza said that a participant ‘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.
‘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.’
Horrifying video footage captured the hot air balloon setting on fire while the passengers attempted to escape
The Secretary General of Zacatecas Rodrigo Reyes Mugüerza, confirmed that a man died while participating in the city’s First Balloon Festival
The balloon reportedly caught on fire and was lifted into the air with the victim dangling from a rope
The man died from his injuries and was identified as a 40-year-old man by the name of Luicio N, according to local news outlet Riviera Maya News.
He reportedly was in the balloon with two other individuals when the fire broke out while they were still on the ground.
Luicio reportedly helped the other two passengers escape but was entangled in the rope while the balloon started to move. He was lifted into the air and dangled on the rope before falling.
The shocking video footage went viral on social media, with many expressing their terror after seeing the man fall to his death.
‘This man is a hero. That being said. I don’t go in hot air balloons for a reason,’ one comment read.
‘Heartbreaking. His final act was one of courage and sacrifice. May he rest in peace,’ another wrote.
Local news reported that the victim’s name was Luicio and he saved the other two passengers before he was caught in a rope
Social media users praised the victim for saving the other two passengers on board
‘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.
DailyMail.com reached out to the State Prosecutor’s Office in Zacatecas for more information on the case, but didn’t immediately hear back.
Although hot air balloons can be dangerous, accidents are rarely fatal. A study from Gitnux cites that the mortality rate is less than 0.01 percent per flight.
Data from Gitnux argued that hot air balloons were safer than other forms of aviation, with roughly 1-2 accidents per 100,000 flights.