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From the New York Post: Drones at a Christmas show in Florida collided in mid-air and were sent careening to the crowd below at high speed resulting in several reported injuries — including a young boy whose mothers say is clinging to life.
The Orlando Fire Department told News 6 that one person suffered a minor injury in the mishap, however, two mothers claim their son — who was apparently struck in the face by a rogue drone — was left “fighting for his life in the ER.”
Startling video shows the holiday display gone wrong play out, complete with shocked gasps from the audience and cries of frightened children.
The 6:30 p.m. show — run by Sky Elements Drones in partnership with the City of Orlando — saw the night skies over Lake Eola Park illuminated with hundreds of red and green drones, forming elaborate patterns in an elegantly choreographed display.
An estimated 25,000 people had turned out to watch the event.
But something went haywire, and dozens of the drones started crashing into each other, then falling to the crowd below. Some landed on the ground, or in the water, but sadly, a 7-year-old boy was struck in the face and chest by one drone, and had to have open heart surgery as a result.
The child’s mother said the drone hit him so hard in the chest, that it injured a valve in his heart.
Many in the crowd were videoing the event, and posted footage online as the drones started falling from the. In the video below, one flies directly into the crowd, as a man yells, “Watch it!!”
The Christmas drone show at Lake Eola in Orlando last night experienced severe malfunctions, with drones plummeting out of formation into the lake, and at least one crashing into the crowd.
(Credit: OrlandoBungalower) pic.twitter.com/QmzIAnnzeE
— Alexander McCoy (@AlexanderMcCoy4) December 22, 2024
So apparently they had to cancel the 2nd drone show at #LakeEolaPark tonight and I wonder if the drones that got knocked out during the 1st show was the cause 😬 #Orlando pic.twitter.com/xxySjbkohy
— MosquitoCoFL Podcast (@MosquitoCoFL) December 22, 2024
Despite the incident, the 6:30 p.m. show went on as planned, as organizers likely did not know the child had been hit, but the City of Orlando then cancelled the 8:00 p.m. show.
The drone show last night has fly-always that caused injury to a kid. So the second show was canceled. #orlandocity #wftv #wesh #lakeeola #drones https://t.co/v8IhVITnP2 pic.twitter.com/Wc3gp7YL84
— jim.kilgo (@jkilgo) December 22, 2024
This is a holiday #Drone show that goes wrong.
As many watched the show, the drones in the “act” began to fall crashing below.
Adriana Edgerton, that she and her family were watching the show at #LakeEola when one of the falling drones struck her son in the chest. Knocking… pic.twitter.com/CQgMW9XiXT
— Ms_Harmony ツ (@Ms_Harmony58) December 23, 2024
The injured boy’s family told ABC News on Sunday that he was hit in the chest by one of the falling drones.
The event was permitted through the FAA, which the city said was conducting an investigation.
Read more: https://t.co/QYbUmRSPy4 pic.twitter.com/TjS8ppcMt3
— ABC News (@ABC) December 22, 2024
A child was hospitalized after being hit by one of several drones that crashed into each other and fell into the crowd during a Saturday night aerial holiday show in Orlando, authorities said. https://t.co/MrI2b75dQg
— ABC News (@ABC) December 22, 2024
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