02 April 2023 , 07:46
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The victims of a horrific hot air balloon accident in Mexico yesterday have been named as a married couple and their 13-year-old daughter.
Jose Nolasco, 50, and his wife Viridiana Becerril, 39, burnt to death after the hot air balloon burst into flames around 8am local time.
Their daughter Regina Itzani, 13, is in hospital with a broken arm and second-degree burns but is expected to survive.
She is believed to have suffered her injuries after jumping from the hot air balloon over the pre-Hispanic ruin site of Teotihuacan, just north of Mexico City.
Today a selfie photo of the family taken moments before the hot air balloon burst into flames was circulating on social media as it emerged the ride was a surprise birthday present Regina and her dad had organised for Viridiana.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
The balloon fell out of the sky near Mexico City (Twitter)
The ride was a surprise birthday present for the mother (Twitter)Reyna Gloria Sarmiento, Regina’s grandmother, told local press the teenager had yet to be told her parents had died.
She added: “It was the birthday of my daughter Viridiana, Regina’s mum, and they had prepared this ride as as a surprise for her.”
Saying her granddaughter was “conscious” and stable in hospital, Gloria also revealed she had hugged her parents before jumping out of the hot air balloon.
Footage of the tragedy taken by an onlooker showed the hot air balloon deflating as flames engulfed the basket below where the Mexican family were enjoying their ride.
The onlooker could be overheard saying in Spanish: “My God, people are falling” as a person plummeted to the ground.
It was not immediately clear if that person was Regina, or the pilot of the hot air balloon who is said to have been the second person who jumped out of the basket as it was engulfed by flames. His whereabouts today/yesterday (SUN) was believed to be still unknown.
An investigation into the tragedy is ongoing. Initial local reports said it could be linked to a fault in the fuel storage system.
Town hall officials in Caujimalpa de Morelos west of Mexico City where the family came from, said in a statement: “We send our condolences to the family, friends and acquaintances of Jose Nolasco and Viridiana Becerril who died in the hot air balloon tragedy in Teotihuacan.
“Our solidarity and prayers are with Regina and we wish her a speedy recovery.”