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Hot air balloon (symbolic image)
Photo: Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa
In Australia, a participant in a balloon ride fell to his death from a basket.
The accident apparently occurred on Monday morning shortly after take-off over a suburb of Melbourne, the Australian Guardian reported, citing emergency services.
The body was discovered in a residential area.
The police cordoned off the site and spoke to the other occupants of the hot air balloon and to eyewitnesses to clarify the circumstances of the fall.
The aviation security authority also opened an investigation.
According to reports from several Australian television stations, the balloon is said to have taken off around seven o'clock in the morning (local time), and about ten minutes after take-off the man is said to have fallen out of the basket - from a height of around 450 meters.
The man's body hit the sidewalk in a residential area.
Residents told Australian television stations that they heard a loud bang and eventually discovered the man's body.
Police rule out third-party influence
The balloon later landed safely in a park.
According to media reports, the pilot and the shocked passengers were offered psychological support.
"Hot air balloon baskets are designed for safety, particularly to prevent passengers from accidentally falling out," the Australian Balloon Association said, expressing its condolences to the man's relatives.
Exactly how the fall happened is not yet clear.
As several Australian television stations report, the police are ruling out any outside influence.
has/dpa