Jose Nolasco, and wife, Viridiana Becerril, died in hot air balloon crash, daughter hospitalized
A husband and wife riding a hot air balloon died and their daughter was injured after the balloon caught fire and plummeted to the ground moments after they posed for a final family photo in front of the aircraft in Mexico City.
The accident took place in Mexico City Saturday, April 1, and claimed the lives of two victims, Jose Nolasco, 50, and wife Viridiana Becerril, 38, Mexican authorities have confirmed.
Video posted to social media by onlookers shows the balloon descending rapidly as it bursts into flames. The chilling footage also shows occupants appearing to either fall or jump from the craft.
Mexican authorities said their daughter, Regina Itzani, broke her arm when she jumped from the fiery gondola. Despite her broken arm and second-degree burns, Itzani is expected to survive.
The family, from the city of Caujimalpa de Morelos, was on a joyride over the pre-Hispanic ruin site of Teotihuacan, a popular tourist area.
Footage taken at the historic site shows the hot air balloon deflating as flames quickly engulf the basket below, where the Mexican family had been enjoying their ride.
An onlooker can be overheard saying, in Spanish, “My God, people are falling” as a person plummets to the ground, with another seen jumping soon after.
The craft also appears to be tethered to the ground, though cops have yet to confirm why, or whether a pilot had been present when the basket went ablaze.
The cause of the accident is currently under investigation, police in Mexico City said Sunday