Update: Nine passengers aboard a hot air balloon that nearly ditched in Port Phillip Bay have been pulled to safety in a dramatic rescue.
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Police at the scene said the hot air balloon took off from Dendy Park about 8am this morning and tried to land back at the Brighton park but was unable to do so.
The pilot then attempted to land at Sandringham Golf Club but was also not successful, police said.
The balloon, carrying 10 people including the pilot, eventually flew over the bay and tried to land in a shallow area, but drifted about two kilometres out from shore.
Hot air balloon has just landed on beach. Pilot did an amazing job @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/gBcSwSN6ir— Shayne Whiteley (@7newspilot) May 21, 2016
Nine people safely pulled from hot air balloon onto boat after almost dipping in bay. No injuries. #7newsmelb pic.twitter.com/XHx01ViIUd — Paul Dowsley (@pauldowsley7) May 20, 2016
A family out on a boat ride saw that the balloon was in trouble and raced to the rescue, with police boats, coast guards and MFB boats.
The balloon was hovering about 40 metres above the water during the rescue, near Ricketts Point.
An Armadale resident said the balloon had flown over his house about 7.45am and was so low he could hear the gas flame burning.
Emergency crews have rushed to the aid of a hot air balloon low on fuel at Port Phillip Bay: https://t.co/glo5E7Cq6t #9News— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) May 20, 2016
A Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesperson said the basket of the balloon was positioned over the bow of the boat, and initially three passengers were helped off the deflating balloon. The reduced load enabled the balloon to fly higher for a while, until it again lost altitude and eventually all passengers were evacuated.
The passengers were transferred to an MFB boat and taken to the Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron complex.
A fresh LPG cylinder was dispatched to the balloon, allowing the pilot to eventually land it safely at Mount Martha.
No one was injured and police are investigating.
Hot Air Balloon: first pics of ditching @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/cAjVTAZFRq— Shayne Whiteley (@7newspilot) May 20, 2016
Hot air balloon in difficulty over the bay - Coast guard on scene to assist in rescue. #9news (pic: @CGMelb) pic.twitter.com/p4JpdqmzBd— Julian Price (@julianprice_) May 20, 2016
Picture This Ballooning CEO Damian Crock said it was only the second time in 20 years that one of his company's balloons had flown over Port Phillip Bay.
"In terms of an unusual set of circumstances, we were absolutely with the outcome," he said.
"We have standard operating procedures for these sorts of eventualities, and in 20 years it's only the second occasion where actually had a balloon over the bay.
"The last occasion was about five or six years ago and it was really from that experience, working very closely with the Water Police and the Coast Guard, that we developed these procedures."
"Pete was coming in over a light pole so he had ascended to avoid the light pole, obviously," Mr Crock said.
"But then he's just effectively gone off to the side of the desired landing site and ended up over the water.
"When you have a water-borne situation like that, with plenty of fuel on board and the ability to get more fuel brought over to you, you can stay flying for hours."
Meanwhile, a second hot air balloon owned by a different company made an unscheduled landing in Aspendale.
#hotairballoon landing in the garden next door. Not something you see every day pic.twitter.com/b07vkhXzwO
— Cheyne Chalmers (@ChalmersSout) May 20, 2016
