WAR BALLOON STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11123, 24 July 1907, Page 1 (Supplement)

WAR BALLOON STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

AERONAUT FALLS 1,500 FEET. ROME, June 2. Both King Victor and Queen Elena were spectators of a terrible balloon accident to-day, resulting in the death of a captain of the Royal Engineers, who had ascended as part of the review of the garrison troops which the King held on the Farnesina field.

Captain Ulivelli, in the balloon, had reached a height of about 1,501*1., when suddenly a gust of wind blew it- into a cloud, from which there came a flash of lightning. Immediately it caught tire, ah explosion was heard, and the balloon fell rapidly through space. One single cry of terror broke from the whole of the enormous crowd witnessing a catastrophe they were unable to" prevent. Motor-cars were driven at the utmost speed to the spot where the balloon fell, and the captain was found lying unconscious in a small bush. Lifted tenderly by his colleagues, he was immediately removed in a car to the near, est .hospital^ his wife, who was in the crowd, insisting on accompanying him. The King proceeded at once- to the hospital, and took his place by the captain's bed. His Majesty took the victim's hand and said kind words expressing a hope for his recovery, but the officer could not recognise the. monarch.' TheT_ing left the hospital deeply touched, .Despite every possible effort of the doctors the captain died after a few hours without having uttered a word in consequence of the internal injuries caused by the rapidity of the fall.