Couple burnt to death in hot air balloon fire as teen daughter jumped for life
02.04.2023 - 09:33
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
The victims of a horrific hot air balloon accident 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 in Mexico.
Their daughter Regina Itzani, 13, suffered second degree burns and a broken arm but is expected to survive, reports the Mirror.
It is understood she was injured after jumping from the hot air balloon over the pre-Hispanic ruin site of Teotihuacan, just north of Mexico City.
A selfie of the trio taken moments before the hot air balloon burst into flames has been circulating on social media as it emerged the ride was a surprise birthday present for Viridiana.
Tragically, Reyna Gloria Sarmiento, Regina’s grandmother, told local reporters that the youngster had yet to be told her parents had died.
She said: “It was the birthday of my daughter Viridiana, Regina’s mum, and they had prepared this ride as as a surprise for her.”
Gloria also revealed she had hugged her parents before jumping out of the hot air balloon, adding that the teen was “conscious and stable" in hospital.
Footage of the tragedy showed the balloon deflating as flames engulfed the basket below where the family were enjoying their ride. The person filming from below could be overheard saying in Spanish: “My God, people are falling” as a person plummeted to the ground.
It was not clear if that person was Regina, or the pilot, who is said to have been the second person who jumped out of the basket as it went on fire. His whereabouts on Sunday were 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