Mike had to be taken back to hospital today to be checked for internal bleeding. Thankfully the affected organs are only bruised and swollen but not ruptured. He continues however to be in extreme pain and is only likely to return to work on Monday. His ankle, hip and left arm are black and blue and very swollen.
This is two days after the accident in which the steel cage below the Absa branded helium balloon swung about so violently that Mike and Natasha were injured.
The cause of the incident? Who knows? When liability is involved the facts become difficult to assertain.
Hi there
This is one of those freak accidents as they would say. Yes the incident with the Monte Balloon. I read the artical in the news paper today. Wow what a load of…. Let me give you the info as an outsider. I stay close to Monte and see the balloon going up day and night. Now I have seen some hectic wind going past and swaying that balloon that I will never get on it. Now here are some of the facts. The balloon did not get caught on the Hotle next to it. Where I was standing I saw the top of the balloon facing me. Yes the part that is normally facing the stars. I called my girlfriend to come and have a look but she was too late. The next moment I saw the balloon pulled down. Something snapped and then there was a sound of thunder as the lighting inside exploded. The way the cage was swinging around gave me the idea that if someone was in it they should have fallen out. I was sitting waiting to see what happens next………..Nothing. The balloon stayed up there. No Ambulance sirens or movement. Just some flash lights. If this balloon was caught on the building why only now. It was a wind still evening almost. And the building is to the left. that means it would have pulled the balloon side ways not towards the way it was. So I might be wrong but I think one of the cables that is used to safty it of when its not used was not released. This is a very sad story and to think someone could have died in that incident. So to those who did get injured I hope you get well soon.
By: Colin on June 2, 2009
at 5:23 pm
Hi Colin
Thanks for this comment. Much appreciated.
Regards
Steve
By: kitchencabinet100 on June 9, 2009
at 8:50 pm
I’ve recently seen the balloon back in the sky and not sure whether it’s fixed, safe and has people in it or whether it’s now just an advert in the sky
By: Karin on June 16, 2009
at 5:57 pm
Mike and Natasha were not the onl ones in the balloon at the time of the incident. My son and his now ex girlfriend were also in it at the time. My son, Kiran who is quite solidly built held his his girlfriend fast and that prevented her from being injured, but his knee took a battering. He still suffers extreme discomfort and pain intermittently. As yet neither Monte nor the owners of the balloon have admitted liability. Money has a way of silencing the truth! That balloon should be taken down before it causes a fatality.
By: shoba on February 1, 2010
at 6:50 pm