Boy in hospital after drones fall from sky at Orlando holiday show
By Karina Tsui, Amanda Jackson and Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN
(CNN) — What was intended to be a dazzling festive spectacle ended in injury to a 7-year-old boy after several drones unexpectedly fell from the sky during a show in Florida on Saturday night, according to CNN affiliate reports.
Videos shared by spectators of the event at Orlando’s Lake Eola Park show dozens of lit-up drones flying in synchronization –– forming Christmas-themed shapes like swans, doves, Santa Claus and presents.
A few minutes into the show, multiple systems began dropping to the ground.
A boy was hit by one of the falling drones and sent to an area hospital, CNN affiliate WESH reported, citing confirmation from the Orlando Fire Department.
A spokesperson for the Orlando Fire Department confirmed in an email to CNN on Monday one person was transported to a hospital.
WESH reported the 7-year-old boy underwent open-heart surgery. The boy’s mother, Adriana Edgerton, told the outlet he was hit in the chest.
“Everyone’s natural instinct was to duck and scatter, and before we realized it, my daughter found my son on the floor unconscious. He had blood coming out of his face,” Edgerton said.
Edgerton told WESH her son was hit with such force it damaged one of his heart valves.
“The blade cut his mouth, but there’s an actual imprint of the drone on his chest,” she said.
The family of the boy started a GoFundMe that has raised more than $6,000.
“My baby is going into emergency heart surgery,” the GoFundMe page read. “Our family attended the drone show at Lake Eola on 12/21. One of the drones shot into my son’s chest, and our family would be so grateful for support for Alezander. He is currently staying in the hospital. I will be missing work at this time, and he will be celebrating Christmas in the ICU.”
The drone show was put on by Texas-based Sky Elements Drones which says on its website it aims to “deliver captivating drone light shows that immerse audiences and skyrocket brand awareness.”
Officials said it was the second time the city of Orlando had contracted Sky Elements Drones.
The city of Austin was planning to include a drone show by Sky Elements in its New Year event on December 31 but a spokesperson said Monday the plans changed.
“The drone show is canceled,” Maggie Holman, a spokeswoman for the city of Austin said in an email to CNN. “The rest of Austin’s New Year event will continue as planned.”
Sky Elements released a statement to CNN saying it “wants to extend our sincere hope for a full and speedy recovery to those impacted at our Lake Eola show in Orlando on Saturday, Dec. 21.”
“The well-being of our audience is our utmost priority, and we regret any distress or inconvenience caused,” the statement said.
“We are diligently working with the FAA and City of Orlando officials to determine the cause and are committed to establishing a clear picture of what transpired. Millions of people see our shows annually, and we are committed to maintaining the highest safety regulations set forth by the FAA.”
‘Are they supposed to be falling?’
Footage shows multiple drones colliding out of control and falling into the lake and on land, where viewers were seen sitting on lawn chairs and picnic blankets.
“Are they supposed to be falling?” one child is heard asking in the background of a video obtained by CNN affiliate WKMG.
A description of the event mentions two drone performances: one at 6:30 p.m. and the other at 8 p.m. –– each lasting 15 minutes.
The incident occurred during the first show.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement Monday it would investigate the incident.
“Several small drones collided and fell into a crowd during a holiday drone show over (Eola) Lake in Orlando, Florida,” the statement said. “The incident occurred around 6:45 p.m. local time on Saturday, December 21.”
Orlando city officials released a statement Sunday, according to CNN affiliates, saying, “Our thoughts are with the family and those impacted by the outcome of this event.”
They noted paramedics were stationed 50 feet away from the scene of the incident and rendered aid “as soon as they made contact with the individual.”
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Monday it has “opened an investigation into an accident involving unmanned aircraft systems that malfunctioned and (struck) individuals at a holiday show in Orlando, Florida” in a post on X.
CNN’s Pete Muntean and Oren Liebermann contributed to this report.
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