By Dave Goosselink
The post-Christmas celebrations of a former Invercargill couple have crashed to earth after their hot air balloon ride in Australia ended in disaster.
Russell and Karen Lee's balloon crashed into trees and power lines during a heavy storm on the Gold Coast.
It was supposed to be a holiday treat, but this hot air balloon ride turned into a nightmare for passengers on the Gold Coast, after the basket hit sudden storms.
The crash left a number of passengers injured, including former Invercargill man Russell Lee.
He suffered a punctured lung, cracked ribs and a broken pelvis in the accident.
His wife Karen escaping with bruising.
The weather was fine when the balloon carrying 17 people left Mount Tamborine, but conditions soon became a whiteout.
“Very heavy rain, I thought we were going through cloud because you couldn't see anything,” says Karen Lee.
“The two other balloons were up near us, but we couldn't see them.”
She says the pilot – who has 15 years experience – tried to abandon the flight and land in a paddock, but winds were too strong.
“But he was going too fast, next thing he goes back up in the air. Then he started to try and come back down again, but he didn't get up high enough over that tree I think,” says Mrs Lee.
The balloon crashed into two trees and a power line, snapping it in two.
Even that did not stop the basket, which missed Russell Davidson's house by just a few metres before coming down to earth.
“We heard this enormous crash and bang and screaming,” says Mr Davidson.
The balloon's pilot also suffered head injuries in the crash.
Seven other passengers suffered minor injuries.
But Russell Lee is expected to remain in hospital for at least six weeks.
“He had a bad night last night, and they're actually today checking him for internal injuries,” says Mrs Lee.
She now wishes they had spent a quiet day off at home.
“We probably shouldn't have gone up really. I don't suppose, because some of these rains we have over here are pretty heavy at times.”
The accident is now the subject of two separate investigations.
Mrs Lee says it will probably force her husband to give up his earth-moving business, but is grateful they escaped from the horror crash with their lives.
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