Alarm at balloon incident

22 February 2002

Orion today expressed alarm at Wednesday's incident where a balloon became entangled in power lines in Papanui.

"While no one was hurt in this case, in slightly different circumstances serious injury or even death could have occurred to either people in the balloon, or innocent bystanders" says General Manager Network, Tas Scott.

The balloonist's decision to remove the balloon from live power lines further put people at risk. If people get objects caught in power lines, they should never attempt to retrieve them. They should keep people clear and either call emergency services or Orion.

We are seeking a meeting with the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss our concerns regarding the incident.

For more information:

Tas Scott
General Manager Network
Orion New Zealand Limited
Telephone: 03 363 9780