A hot air balloon in Utah made a big splash Saturday after it was forced to make an emergency landing in the water. The aircraft landed safely, and nobody on board was injured.
The incident took place during an annual hot air balloon festival in Kanab, a city in southern Utah right above the Arizona state line.
Matt Newey, an NBC affiliate KSL photojournalist, told the station that he and his girlfriend were looking for an unforgettable experience.
"We took off, then started floating, and there was a couple of balloons ahead of us," Newey said. "It was gorgeous — one of the most beautiful views."
The flight took a turn when they started flying over a reservoir.
“You could kind of feel it. It was like we hit this wall of wind and we just started dropping and descending really quickly,” Newey said.
The photojournalist said the conditions quickly made them realize they were not going to make it to shore.
The video showed the hot air balloon briefly plunging into the icy waters.
"It tips over sideways and the whole thing starts filling up with water," he said.
The couple said the pilot immediately jumped into action, leveling the balloon up and out of the water.
"I never felt like any of our lives were in danger," Newey said. "It was just a funny, weird fluke."
The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday no other details were immediately available.
Newey added that despite the harrowing experience, the couple intends to return next year.
"I wouldn't want to land any other way," he said.
