Khaberni - A British young man ended his life in a shocking manner during a balloon ride, after he deliberately climbed the edge of the basket and intentionally jumped from an estimated altitude of about one thousand feet, as confirmed by the results of the judicial investigation.
According to what was presented during the inquiry session at the West Sussex coroner's court, the 33-year-old man was participating in a balloon trip operated by Virgin Balloon Flights, and after the balloon took off, he was seen smiling and waving at the camera installed inside the basket, before he turned his back, raised his legs climbing the edge, and deliberately jumped off.
Sussex police investigator Ellen Keating said that the moment he jumped happened so quickly that it was impossible to prevent by the passengers or the pilot, confirming that "no one could have intervened."
His body was found on farmland adjacent to the A272 road in Sussex, and the police also found a letter in his possession explaining his desire for his body to be cremated, which the coroner saw as clear evidence of his prior intent to end his life.
Assistant to the coroner S. Morgan said during the session: "His deliberate climb to the balloon basket's edge and the presence of a letter detailing what to do with his body post-mortem are a definitive indicator of his intent... This is a tragic death by all accounts."
His colleagues at work, where he worked in a luxury hotel near Watford, mentioned that he had previously talked about suffering from an extreme fear of heights, despite choosing to participate in a balloon ride, thus his inexplicable and rapid jump points to nothing other than suicide.
