Man killed after falling from a hot air balloon in Melbourne; passengers ‘traumatised’

A man has fallen to his death from a hot air balloon in suburban Melbourne. Photo / File / Getty Images

A man has plummeted to his death from a hot-air balloon as it passed over Melbourne.

The hot-air balloon took off from CT Barling Reserve, Reservoir, in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, about 7am on Monday and was in the air about 30 minutes before the man fell from the basket.

His body was found in Albert St, Preston, a residential area, which police closed off to traffic.

A neighbour said his brother could hear a “loud bang” shortly before Emergency Services turned up on the street, Today reports.

“My brother heard like a loud bang, almost like something like a large item falling in your house. And it wasn’t until we heard all the sirens that we came out,” he told Today.

Police will prepare a report for the coroner, but say the death is not being treated as suspicious.

#BREAKING: A hot air balloon has made an emergency landing in Melbourne, after reports that someone has fallen.

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) March 17, 2024

The balloon landed safely at Yarra Bend Park, many kilometres from where the man’s body was found.

Police are speaking with other occupants of the balloon and witnesses.

Albert St has been closed between Wood St and Murray Rd, and drivers have been urged to avoid the area.

The National Commercial Hot-Air Ballooning Industry and the Australian Ballooning Federation issued a statement after the company BalloonMan was asked for comment.

The groups gave condolences to the man’s loved ones.

“Hot-air balloon baskets are designed with safety in mind, specifically to prevent passengers from falling out accidentally or from any accidental exit,” the statement said.

“Passengers and the pilot are understandably traumatised by this tragedy and the operator is arranging psychological support and counselling for all affected.”

The matter is being investigated by WorkSafe Victoria, the Air Transport Safety Bureau and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Emergency landings of hot air balloons are not uncommon in Melbourne.

In April 2022, a hot air balloon on its maiden flight with 13 passengers and a pilot on board was forced to land among buildings in Elwood in Melbourne’s southeast.

Three people suffered minor injuries.

Another two people were injured on New Year’s Eve in 2021 during a hard landing in a field near Lilydale, east of Melbourne, in which the balloon’s basket was dragged 30 metres.

A fuel leak also sparked a fire on a hot air balloon flying over Victoria on Boxing Day in 2018, with one of its 15 passengers cutting their hand after the basket landed in trees.

- Additional reporting by NZ Herald