A 7-year-old boy is recovering from open-heart surgery after a holiday drone show in Florida went terribly wrong.
Multiple drones collided mid-air during the Saturday night show at Orlando's Lake Eola, falling into the crowd, with one striking the boy in the chest and knocking him unconscious WESH reported. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident.
The boy was watching the show with his family when a drone impacted his chest with such force it caused severe injuries, including damage to a heart valve. The drone's blade also left a cut on his mouth and an imprint on his chest.
His mother, Adriana Edgerton, said the boy underwent hours of open-heart surgery Sunday.
"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," she said.
The Orlando Fire Department reported that Alexander was the only person hospitalized, though video captured by attendees shows drones falling into the crowd.
The FAA confirmed it is investigating the incident, noting that drone light shows are subject to strict regulation and typically require waivers to operate multiple drones simultaneously.
The event was organized by Sky Elements, a Texas-based drone show company.
"Sky Elements Drones wants to extend our sincere hope for a full and speedy recovery for those impacted at our Lake Eola show," the company said in a statement.
The city of Orlando also addressed the incident.
"Our thoughts are with the family and all those impacted," the city's statement read. "The city remains in contact with the vendor and the FAA, who will conduct a thorough investigation."
The cause of the drone collision remains unclear, and the FAA's investigation is ongoing.
"This should not have happened," said Edgerton, who called for stronger safety measures to prevent similar accidents. "... We were trying to watch a show and have a good time."
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