“My granddaughter was hugged by her parents when the fire started and she jumped out of the hot air balloon and fell about 40 meters”: a birthday party ends in tragedy

It was a surprise José Nolasco had for his wife Viridiana Becerril: take a ride in the colorful hot air balloons to celebrate her birthday. But on the morning of Saturday, April 1, 2023, fate had tragic plans for the family that had only one daughter, Regina.

They lived in Caujimalpa de Morelos, a town in southwest Mexico City. They climbed into the balloon, white and blue. But as they flew near the famous pyramids of Teotihuacán, the fuel tank began to catch fire and the flames quickly spread. The unthinkable was about to happen.

Viridiana and Jose hugged Regina, 13 years old. This one was the first to pop out of the balloon, in front of other astonished tourists who took the same ride in nearby balloons.

Their parents died. The spread of the fire and the fall of people from the colorful balloon on fire was captured and the footage soon went viral.

The chilling footage also shows the occupants falling or jumping off the ship, much to the dismay of onlookers.

Regina survived the fall of the hot air balloon

Regina jumped and survived by falling about 40 meters. She was taken to Axapusco General Hospital for serious injuries, AFP said.

Her grandmother, Reyna Gloria Sarmiento, stated on Sunday, April 2, that Regina is “stable and very conscious.”

“She says the fuel tank caught fire and everything started to burn. Her parents hugged her and she managed to see when she started to burn. He knew nothing about his mother. He turned and jumped,” the woman said.

According to the medical report, Regina “suffered second-degree burns on 4% of her face, as well as polytrauma and a fractured humerus, which required surgery.”

Gloria said the walk was indeed a surprise to Viridiana.

“It was my daughter’s birthday, Viridiana, the girl’s mother, and they prepared this surprise for her mother and it was a surprise,” he said in an interview with El Diario.

What happened to the balloon pilot?

From the burning balloon it was handled unofficially, the pilot also jumped. He wondered where he was and couldn’t find him around. They finally found him Sunday afternoon at a health center in Hidalgo, where he was treated for his burns.

Infobae said Víctor “N” had been arrested and the shocking case was “under investigation by the Attorney General of the State of Mexico (FGJEM)”.

The subject said he didn’t remember anything, but the doctors ruled out a blow to the head. “He has no neurological injuries. He is neurologically healthy.”

The media expected that he could be charged with manslaughter, as these deaths were the result of what appears to be an accident.

The first versions indicate that the balloon, which came from a tourism service provider, apparently did not have official permission, López Dóriga published.

The clear desperation of the travelers, expressed in screams, and the images of the fire and the jump into the void continue to affect users of social networks, while the family of Viridiana and José sought help to pay for the funeral costs, blaming the authorities and the balloon holders for the terrible accident.