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Man sees the funny side after hot air balloon carrying 13 people lands in his garden | News US
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A California resident was stunned after finding a hot air balloon with 13 passengers onboard in his backyard this weekend.
Homeowner Hunter Perrin filmed the bright blue balloon and its passengers in the aftermath of the bizarre incident.
Hunter and Jenna Perrin told NBC LA that the pilot had to make an emergency landing because wind gusts had died down, leading the balloon to hover and then run out of fuel.
The occupants of the basket had to disembark so the balloon could be refuelled and flown out from the backyard and onto the street, where it could be taken away.
Footage from the street shows the mammoth effort to pack away the hot air balloon after it took about two hours to move the aircraft from the backyard.
Luckily, no one was injured in the incident, and the property suffered no damage.
It’s not the first time a hot air balloon has caused chaos in a residential neighbourhood.
Last August, residents in Bedford watched as a hot air balloon attempted to land on their street.
The aircraft was just a couple of metres away from the rooftops of homes on Bower Street, about to crash between parked cars, telegraph poles and wires.
Luckily, a dogwalker saw the balloon in distress as he was out with his partner.
Sam Coldham used a guide rope to bring the balloon to the ground.
It is understood that the balloon was attempting to land in nearby Russell Park, but ‘lost momentum’ because of the wind.
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How safe are hot air balloons?
Hot air balloon excursions have grown in popularity in recent years, but so have incidents.
While relatively rare, when they do take place, they can result in serious injuries or fatalities, with the majority occurring during the landing phase.
In the UK, deadly crashes do not happen often, but they are not entirely unheard of.
A study carried out between 1976 and 2004 found that 98 incidents had happened, with two fatalities and 50 serious injuries, according to a report on ScienceDirect.
Sian caught the moment Sam used a guide rope to bring the balloon to the ground.
She said: ‘I think the conditions were really still with not a lot of wind, so it lost momentum I think.
‘The guys said my partner, Sam, saved their bacon. It was very, very close to a real disaster.’
The British Balloon and Airship Club confirmed the balloon ‘landed without incident’, adding that no one was injured.
Emma Firman, who also filmed the landing, said it ‘was the most incredible scene’ as she thought it was ‘going to hit the roof tops, then the cars and wires’.
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