Video: Mother, son fall to their deaths in hot air balloon accident

Viral clip captures their last moments.

A Chinese mother and her three-year-old son were filmed enjoying last moments of a hot air balloon ride before its harnesses snapped, causing them to float away before falling to their deaths.
According to reports in Daily Mail, the footage shows the mother and her son sitting side by side and secured with harnesses beneath the large helium balloon. Just as the balloon slowly rises, tethers anchoring the gas balloon to the ground snap mid-ride.
Authorities said the helium balloon later ruptured in the sky and the 31-year-old mother and her son fell to their deaths.

The tragedy occurred at Majiagou theme park near the city of Yantai in East China's Shandong Province. The helium balloon ride is offered for free as part of an £8 entrance fee to the park and is allowed to reach only 164 feet high.
Following the accident, Yantai police arrested five people while with tourism activity at the theme park has since been suspended. It is alleged that a staff member of the theme park revealed to local media that police found the balloon rides to be unauthorised and illegal.
The Majiagou theme park reportedly leases part of its grounds for such activities and it is unclear whether it also faces punishment for negligence.