Balloon flight lands tourists in jail
A hot air balloon flight by two foreign tourists in India caused a major security alert, landing them literally in jail.
Two female tourists from Trinidad took the pleasure flight but due to strong winds the balloon glided off course and landed inside the grounds of a high security prison in Ajmer, Rajasthan.
Fearing an elaborate jail break attempt, authorities put the prison on lockdown and arrested the tourists and balloon pilot, who were questioned for over two hours before being released without charge.
Cousins Mariel and Amanda Sabga had taken the flight from a popular animal fair in the town of Pushkar saying they wanted a bird’s eye view of the fair, but pilot Dhawal Kedar lost control of the balloon as it blew off course before finally landing in the prison grounds.
Authorities has since banned all pleasure flights by hot air balloon in the area.
Police said the tour operator’s permit has been revoked and it will face charges of ‘unlawful entry’ into the jail.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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