British woman dies after falling from hot air balloon in high winds on safari trip in South Africa

Crashed: A photo of the balloon after the incident
Hartbeespoort Emergency Rescue Unit
Saphora Smith28 October 2016

A British mother-of-two was killed in front of her family on holiday in South Africa after being thrown 20ft from a hot air balloon in high winds.

Suzanne Astle, 48, was flung out of the balloon’s basket as it crashed.

Mrs Astle, from Kenilworth, Warwickshire, was with her husband John, 63, a retired airline pilot, and their young sons when the accident happened on Tuesday morning during a family safari holiday to Mooinooi.

She suffered serious head injuries and was taken to hospital, but died the following day.

A four-year-old was also thrown to the ground and is in a critical condition.

A family friend said Mr Astle was not able to speak about the death. Emergency services said the balloon took off in good weather from Skeerpoort but was struck by high winds as it tried to land.

A paramedic said: “The basket tilted when it was about 20ft from the ground because of wind and the lady and a child fell out before it crashed.

Her husband and two sons went with her to hospital but doctors couldn’t save her. It’s an awful tragedy.”

Survivor Olivia Denny, 70, told News 24 they were “holding on for dear life” as 40kph winds hit the balloon.

British expat Bill Harrop, who runs the firm Original Balloon Safaris, said: “We are all devastated and shocked. This has never happened before. There is nothing more we could have done.”

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