Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the death of a 55-year-old man who died in a hot air balloon flight in Muran, in Alqueva, on Sunday morning.
The passenger was accompanied by his wife, but eventually “abandoned” the cart. The ground crew, which usually monitors balloon flights, went to meet him, but found the man already inanimate.
The case was transferred to the judicial police, who are investigating the circumstances of the man’s death.
Once the victim was in the water, the balloon gained altitude and managed to land safely about 800/1000 meters further.
When the ground team arrived at the scene, the man was already lifeless and floated to the surface in the water two meters from the shore.
Investigators are awaiting autopsy results to confirm this version of the facts and establish the cause of death of the 55-year-old man.
In addition, investigators also want to understand the maximum capacity of a given type of balloon, and whether the flight was planned or whether there was negligence on the part of the company or the balloon operator.
There are still many questions to be clarified in this death, but the victim’s behavior allowed at least twelve people aboard the balloon to land safely, this time on land.