A blimp at the U.S. Open national golf championship in Erin, Wisc., caught fire and crashed.
Justin Maynard, a sales manager for AirSign, the advertising company that operates the blimp, says the pilot was the only person on board the craft.
Maynard said the Florida-based company’s operations team on the ground in Wisconsin reported the pilot’s status as “OK.”
The crash happened beyond the spectators watching the tournament.
He could not confirm witness accounts that the pilot skydived from the blimp, saying the aircraft’s pilots do not regularly carry parachutes.
The USGA in a statement said:
According to local authorities, a commercial blimp not affiliated with the USGA or the U.S. Open Championship broadcast crashed in an open field approximately a half mile from the Erin Hills golf course at approximately 11:15 a.m. CDT. First responders were quick to arrive at the scene and the pilot is currently being treated fro unknown injuries. No other people were involved in the incident and local law enforcement is currently investigating. Our thoughts and prayers are with the pilot at this time.
It was not immediately clear what caused the blimp to fail and crash.
Credit: Charlie Riedel
Credit: Charlie Riedel
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