Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Maz Fishermen Rescue Hot Air Balloon Pilots

by Maureen Dietrich
10 Feb 15
mazmessenger.com

Mazatlán fishermen aboard the Paúl I shrimp trawler saw the balloon go down.
Mazatlán fishermen aboard the Paúl I shrimp trawler saw the balloon go down.


After breaking two world records for hot air balloon flights, American Troy Bradley and Russian Leonid Tiukhtyaev were rescued by Mazatlán fishermen aboard the Paúl I shrimp trawler when the balloon was forced into the sea by bad weather off the coast of Los Cabos, BCS.

On Saturday, January 31st this year at 7,000 nautical miles from the coast, the crew of the trawler spotted the balloon as it fell into the sea and rushed to rescue the two pilots who were aboard their yellow safety capsule beside the collapsed balloon.

The capsule had turned over, said crew member Abraham Trujillo. They calmed the pilots, took them aboard and went into the water to recover everything, including the balloon.


The two pilots were aboard their yellow safety capsule beside the collapsed balloon.
The two pilots were aboard their yellow safety capsule beside the collapsed balloon.


The American was shaken up when rescued and was attended to.

One crew member told media that four and a half hours later ships from the Mexican Navy arrived to take over.

Pilot Troy Bradley and his wife, who flew in from Alburquerque, New Mexico, are presently in Mazatlán to collect the safety capsule, part of the balloon and communications equipment.

The two pilots had recently broken the records for hot air balloon voyages by travelling 10,700 kilometers and remaining airborne for a total of 160 hours.

(from Noroeste)

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