Man dies following hot air balloon disaster at festival in Mexico

A man was killed following a hot air balloon disaster at a festival in Mexico, officials said.

Rodrigo Reyes Mugüerza, the secretary general of government in Zacatecas, said the incident occurred during the “celebration of the First Balloon Festival.”

“A person lost his life after a unfortunate incident while on board a hot air balloon,” Mugüerza said Sunday in a translated Facebook post. “Immediately, authorities rushed to the scene to provide care and support to the affected people. We have requested the State Prosecutor’s Office to carry out the relevant investigations to clarify the facts and disclose responsibilities.”

Two people were injured, Zacatecas’ Attorney General’s Office said in a translated Facebook post that announced an investigation had been launched. The office said two people who organized the event “have been obtained” after initially leaving the scene.

Riviera Maya News reported that three people were in the hot air ballloon when the basket caught on fire around 8 a.m. local time Sunday. It was still on the ground with two other hot air balloons but broke free of the tether as a flame erupted in the basket.

The man helped the two others get out but he became entangled in a rope as the balloon lifted into the air, according to the news outlet.

He was seen suspended high in the air before falling to his death, the news outlet reported.