Reality TV star Liberty Poole is breathing a sigh of relief after narrowly escaping a chaotic hot air balloon ride that she described as a terrifying experience. The 25-year-old former contestant from Love Island 2021 took to her social media to share her rollercoaster adventure during a PR trip, revealing just how dramatic it truly was.
In a candid TikTok video, Liberty documented her hot air balloon journey, captioning it wit”The unexpected. I ticked it off my bucket list but think it’s going to be a one-time only thing lol.” The footage showed her nestled in the balloon’s basket, visibly scared as loud bangs resonated and worried shouts echoed around her. She expressed her fright, noting that the experience felt “so chaotic” and didn’t seem quite right.
@liberty Replying to @nevaeh ♬ original sound – Liberty Poole
In another follow-up video, Liberty candidly shared her realization about how hot air balloons work. “I didn’t realise when you get into a hot air balloon it’s not upright, you lie on the floor to get in. So you’re actually not strapped in, nothing,” she explained. As the balloon ascended, they were just holding onto a thin rope. The landing was equally alarming; instructed to crouch down and hold that rope, she felt the balloon jostle violently during descent. “I don’t know if that landing was normal,” she remarked, visibly shaken. “To me, that’s not right. Why do people go on a hot air balloon if that happens all the time?” Liberty concluded, “I’m just glad we survived, to be honest.”
Liberty’s harrowing experience came mere days before a tragic event, when eight lives were lost in a separate hot air balloon incident in Santa Catarina, Brazil. A balloon caught fire and crashed, igniting flames and destruction as it plummeted from the sky. Remarkably, thirteen individuals survived the crash and received treatment at local hospitals. The state governor, Jorginho Mello, expressed grief over the tragedy, calling it a significant loss compared to the thrill seekers’ notions often associated with ballooning. “We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened,” he stated in a video shared across social media platforms.