Hot air balloon Melbourne: Footage shows moments before horror
Ghostly footage shows the moments before a man jumped to his death from a hot air balloon in Melbourne.
The man was one of 10 people on board the balloon when it took off around 7am on Monday.
A video obtained by 7News shows the man, wearing a brown sweater, standing next to other guests as they enjoyed views of the city.
Witnesses said the man looked good and was talking politics with the ride operator as the balloon took to the air.
But 10 minutes later, when the ride reached about 1,500 feet, without warning he climbed over the edge of the basket in an act of self-harm and plunged to his death.
The pilot immediately made a mayday call as shocked motorists and families on the ground witnessed the man falling through the air.
Ghostly footage shows the final moments of a man who died after jumping from a hot air balloon in Melbourne
Emergency services were called to Albert Street, in Preston in the city’s north-east, after his body was found in a front garden a short time later.
Power lines were seen running across the road as a white sheet covered the man’s body on the footpath under an SES tent.
The hot air balloon landed safely 5 miles away at Yarra Bend Park in Fairfield, and police quickly surrounded it once it landed.
Passengers on board the hot air balloon are reportedly deeply traumatized by what happened and have received counseling from the operator.
Passengers on another hot air balloon flight, which took off at the same time, said they heard emergency calls over the radio about 15 minutes into their joyride reporting that someone had fallen from another balloon in Preston.
Shocked residents said they woke up to a loud ‘thud’ as blaring sirens filled the street shortly after the man fell from the hot air balloon
A man has died after falling from a hot air balloon near Preston in Melbourne’s north, apparently from self-harm.
The hot air balloon landed safely 8km away at Yarra Bend Park (pictured)
Meanwhile, shocked residents said they woke up to a loud ‘thud’, with blaring sirens filling the street shortly afterwards.
“My brother heard a loud bang, almost like something big fell into your house. And it was only when we heard all the sirens that we came out,” a resident told the media.
Power was cut in a number of homes and there were reports of damage to buildings.
A number of hot air balloon operators operate sunrise flights, where up to 16 passengers can fit in the basket at any time.
Officers will prepare a report for the coroner.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted operator Balloon Man for comment.
If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
The hot air balloon landed safely in a park (pictured) 8 km away from where the man plunged to his death
Paramedics were later seen removing the man’s body from the scene