A bundle of party balloons sparked panic on a private business jet shortly after it took off from London City Airport.
One of the pilots on board the Cessna 560 spotted a group of 20 black and yellow helium-filled balloons approaching the aircraft and alerted their colleagues, who were then able to take action to avoid the balloons.
The plane was at an altitude of 2,300 feet at the time, according to an air safety body.
The bunch of balloons – which spanned approximately three metres – passed just two metres above the plane and 10 metres to its left hand side.
The UK Airprox Board categorised the near-miss as having the most serious risk of a collision, saying there was a ‘definite’ risk.
“Providence had played a major part in the incident and/or a definite risk of collision had existed,” the board concluded.
BAPIA chairman John Bowler commented on the story, saying; “BAPIA would advise that all balloons should be attached to a weight and the clients advised not to allow the balloons to be released – especially not as a bunch of balloons!”
