Spanish Accident – Pilot named
The pilot taking part in the European Balloon Festival in Igualada, near Barcelona in Spain who tragically died on Sunday 12th July has been named as Jordi Camps from Sitges. It appears that the balloon landed on a fence and as a result three passengers and the pilot were thrown from the basket. The pilot held onto a deflation line in an attempt to prevent it rising but for some reason failed to let go and was carried aloft along with three passengers still in the basket. At some considerable height his grip failed and he fell to his death the partially deflated balloon landing close to him. The seriously injured passenger was one of those that had been ejected from the basket during the landing.
It would appear that no pilot restraint was being used, a matter currently under debate for commercial ride balloons with EASA. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.