Hot air balloon ends up in the middle of the road near Westerbork. ‘If we have to, we’ll land on a postage stamp’

There would have been no panic. According to RTV Drenthe, the surprising landing only led to a traffic jam on the road itself. Motorists had to be patient until the colossus was removed from the asphalt. How often does something like this happen?

“I have sometimes ended up in the middle of the road myself,” says balloonist Bert Stuiver from Odoorn. He was Dutch champion in 2016 and will participate in the World Ballooning Championships in Hungary in September. “If something like this happens in a controlled manner, there is nothing wrong at all. Sometimes you choose such a place. Because, for example, you don’t want to end up in the crop, in a mud puddle or in the farmer’s pasture.”

Estimate traffic accurately

Stuiver therefore assumes a controlled precautionary landing. “I don’t know the background of this incident, but if you can properly assess the traffic on the road, such a landing should not be a problem at all. Sometimes the shoulder of a quiet road is also a solution for a landing.”

The Brandenweg is part of the N374 (Hoogeveen-Stadskanaal) and runs around Westerbork on the east side. Stuiver himself sailed from Assen to Gieten on Friday evening. “The weather was calm. Ideal conditions. It will not be because the balloonist had less control. If necessary, pilots can even land on a postage stamp. Such assignments are also part of championships.”