• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Pilot arrested after jumping from burning hot air balloon and leaving couple to die

Home> News

Updated 00:12 5 Apr 2023 GMT+1Published 00:09 5 Apr 2023 GMT+1

Pilot arrested after jumping from burning hot air balloon and leaving couple to die

Victor Guzmán faces two alleged homicide charges after abandoning the family.

Charisa Bossinakis

Charisa Bossinakis

A pilot has been arrested after jumping from a burning hot air balloon leaving a family to die.

Victor Guzmán was detained after leaping 16 feet from the aircraft over the weekend, as per The Daily Mail.

The man was reportedly placed in custody after receiving treatment for second-degree burns to his face and arm.

On Saturday, Jose Nolasco, 50, surprised his wife, Viridiana Becerril, 39, with a ride through the sky with their 13-year-old daughter, Regina Itzani,

Advert

The balloon glided over the pre-Hispanic pyramid site in Teotihuacán, in the State of Mexico.

Facebook

The family rented the balloon for a surprise birthday trip.

However, the fun day out took a lethal turn when an issue with the balloon’s gas system caused the cabin to become engulfed in flames after it departed around 8 am.

The couple, Jose and Viridiana, are believed to have been burnt to death, leaving behind their daughter, Regina, who was reported to have bravely jumped from the fire to the ground below.

Advert

The terrifying moment was captured on film, as onlookers watched Regina and Guzmán leap as the couple perishes in the fire.

Regina is currently being treated in the hospital for a broken arm and second-degree burns.

Guzmán faces two alleged homicide charges, telling agents assigned to the State of Mexico Attorney General's Office that he had abandoned the family as he didn't know how to respond to the emergency, the Mexico Daily News reported.

Viridiana’s mother, Reyna Sarmiento, told the Mexican national newspaper Milenio that Regina hugged her parents just before she leapt from the carriage.

Advert

“The girl tells us that the gas tank there, the hydrostatic gas tank, started to light up, and that was what started to burn,” the grandmother said.

“She says her parents hugged her, but she turned away from them, and she jumped.”

The Federal Aviation Agency is leading the investigation and looking into whether the company, Autocinema Retroviso, is licensed to operate hot air balloon service and if it’s covered by insurance in these kinds of accidents.

“It is imperative that these same authorities act effectively in order to cancel the operations of companies that, unfortunately, operate outside the legal framework and sometimes in hiding, affecting the safety of the operations of all of us who operate in the immediate vicinity of the archaeological site of Teotihuacán,” the federation said, as per the Daily Mail.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, only 16 people have died while hot air ballooning between 2002 and 2016 - about one person per year.

Featured Image Credit: Facebook. Twitter/Mike Sington

Topics: News, World News, Crime

Charisa Bossinakis
Charisa Bossinakis

Charisa Bossinakis is an Associative Journalist at LADbible. Charisa has worked across various media platforms including, print, digital, radio and podcasting while maintaining the highest regard for quality work and integrity. She also covered everything from breaking news, to pop culture, entertainment and politics and is part of the editorial team for LADbible.

X

@CBossinakis

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

5 hours ago
  • 5 hours ago

    Strict process to be granted entry into UK's biggest swinging festival as organiser explains why it's so important

    Matt Cole and his wife Stacie are the masterminds behind Swingathon, which is returning for its fifth year this weekend

    News
  • 5 hours ago

    Woman who filmed 'Coldplay couple' reveals why she decided to share the video

    Grace Springer shared the video on TikTok on Wednesday (16 July)

    News
  • 5 hours ago

    Dad dies after being bitten by bat while trying to remove it from his home

    An investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding Craig Nolte's illness

    News
  • 5 hours ago

    Company releases statement after CEO was 'caught with another woman' at Coldplay concert in viral video

    Astronomer has shared a statement following the viral video

    News
  • Woman, 20, found dead on superyacht in 'billionaire's backyard' had 'gashes to neck and arms' as man arrested
  • New footage shows moment only survivor of Air India crash walks away from burning wreckage
  • Why Stephen King book will never be printed again and was pulled from all shelves
  • Man arrested in connection with starting LA fire that is now burning over 960 acres