A groom-to-be tragically lost his life after being thrown from an out-of-control hot air balloon he was trying to stop.
Heart-wrenching footage captured the moment when the incident unfolded.
The terrifying scene took place on Sunday night (October 13) as the large balloon, carried by powerful gusts of wind, hurtled towards spectators.
READ MORE: Roller Skater Crashes Into Crowd at Racing Event
As it became clear that the balloon was drifting dangerously out of control with several passengers on board, people on the ground rushed to intervene.
One of those attempting to help was 34-year-old Julián Andrés Martínez, who grabbed onto a rope attached to the balloon in a desperate bid to regain control.
Unfortunately, the balloon’s force lifted him about five meters (16 feet) into the air before he plummeted to the ground at the Colors in the Sky festival in Aguazul, located northeast of Bogotá, Colombia.
Martínez, an experienced paraglider from Sopó, was immediately taken to a local hospital, according to VKNews24.
From there, he was transferred to a medical facility in Yopal, where he succumbed to his injuries early Monday morning (October 14).
Sonia Lozano, a local government official, commented on the tragedy, saying, “In a moment of panic, seeing the balloon rising, this person likely tried to do something to help.
But things didn’t go as expected, and we don’t know exactly what happened. At one point, he let go of the balloon and fell where the accident occurred.”
Reports indicated that two other individuals involved in the incident suffered burns.
Martínez was engaged to be married, as revealed through his social media. Fellow paragliders later honored him by laying their wings at the site where he fell, paying tribute to their lost friend.
In response to the incident, the Aguazul mayor’s office released a statement, urging the public to remain respectful during this difficult time, saying, “We ask for prudence and respect towards the private organisers of the event.
This is not the time for blame, as it is up to the proper authorities to determine if there were any responsibilities or procedural errors.”
READ MORE: Thief steals bike and rides off as man chases on foot
SOURCE: Groom-to-be dies after hot air balloon crashes to ground
