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From Daily Mail: The pilot of the hot-air balloon that today caught fire mid-air in southern Brazil urged passengers to jump before it crashed to the ground and killed eight, it has been revealed.
Chief of police of the Santa Catarina state Ulisses Gabriel revealed that the wind was ‘quite strong’ and that several people had to hold the balloon when it first took off.
‘There was a truck pulling the balloon with a cable, which was moving very intensely from side to side,’ he told Brazilian broadcaster Globo News.
Gabriel said the intense movement may have caused a gas leak, ultimately leading to the tarpaulin’s combustion, despite its flame-retardant properties.
After the balloon descended, 13 individuals, including the pilot, were able to escape, but when the balloon rapidly regained its altitude, some passengers were still onboard.
Gabriel said some passengers jumped from the basket, but those who remained succumbed to burns.
The tragic incident occurred in the Praia Grande region, a renowned destination for hot-air ballooning.
READ MORE AT DailyMail.
