7-year-old boy in hospital after drones fall from sky at Orlando holiday show

OUR BIG STORY TONIGHT ON WESH TWO. A NEW LOOK AT THE SCARE FROM THE SKY OVER LAKE EOLA. AS THAT DRONE SHOW GOES WRONG AND LEAVES A SEVEN YEAR OLD BOY FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE. NOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GETTING INVOLVED TO FIGURE OUT HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. GOOD EVENING. I’M STEWART MOORE AND I’M SUMMER KNOWLES. THE SPECTACLE CAME TO A CRASHING END WHEN THOSE DRONES BEGAN FALLING LAST NIGHT, ONE OF THEM HITTING A SEVEN YEAR OLD BOY WHO, AS A RESULT, HAD TO HAVE EMERGENCY HEART SURGERY EARLIER TODAY. A LOT TO GO OVER. SO LET’S GET RIGHT OUT TO WESH TWO. TONY ATKINS LIVE FOR US AT LAKE EOLA. TONY, LET’S START WITH THAT YOUNG MAN WHO WAS HURT. HOW IS HE DOING TONIGHT? WELL, STUART, I’VE BEEN TEXTING THE BOY’S MOTHER THROUGHOUT THE EVENING, AND AT LAST CHECK, HE WAS HOURS INTO AN EXTREMELY LONG SURGERY. HIS FAMILY HOPING THAT HE PULLS THROUGH. HE FELL IN THE WATER. THIS VIDEO OBTAINED BY WESH TWO NEWS SUNDAY, SHOWS ONE OF THE DRONES ZIPPING BY THE CROWD AT LAKE EOLA AS OTHERS CRASHED DOWN. OH, NO, I DON’T THINK THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE FALLING. THE FAA SAYS SEVERAL OF THE DRONES COLLIDED BEFORE HITTING THE GROUND. ADRIANA EDGERTON SAYS HER SEVEN YEAR OLD SON, ALEXANDER, WAS HIT. EVERYONE’S NATURAL INSTINCT WAS TO, LIKE, DUCK AND SCATTER. AND RIGHT WHEN WE KNEW IT, LIKE MY DAUGHTER FOUND MY SON ON THE FLOOR, UNCONSCIOUS BLOOD COMING OUT OF HIS FACE. SUNDAY, ALEXANDER UNDERWENT OPEN HEART SURGERY. FOR HOURS, THE DRONE ACTUALLY HIT HIM IN HIS CHEST. WHAT MADE THEM THINK THAT HE GOT HIT IN THE FACE WAS THAT HIS MOUTH WAS BUSTED, BUT THAT WAS FROM THE BLADE. ACTUALLY CUTTING UP HIS MOUTH BECAUSE IT WAS AN INDUSTRIAL ONE. SO IT WAS STILL GOING. SO WHEN IT SMACKED HIM, THE BLADE ACTUALLY CUT HIS MOUTH. BUT HE HAS THE ENTIRE IMPRINT OF THE DRONE ON HIS CHEST. THE DRONE HIT HIM SO HARD IN HIS CHEST THAT IT MESSED UP ONE OF THE VALVES IN HIS HEART. THE DRONE SHOW WAS HANDLED BY SKY ELEMENTS, A COMPANY BASED OUT OF TEXAS THAT PERFORMS EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE COMPANY RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING IN PART, QUOTE, SKY ELEMENTS, DRONES WANTS TO EXTEND OUR SINCERE HOPE FOR A FULL AND SPEEDY RECOVERY FOR THOSE IMPACTED AT OUR LAKE EOLA SHOW. THEY ALSO SAY THEY ARE COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE HIGHEST SAFETY REGULATIONS. THE CITY OF ORLANDO RELEASED THIS STATEMENT SAYING IN PART, QUOTE, OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH THE FAMILY AND ALL THOSE IMPACTED BY THE OUTCOME OF THE EVENT. THEY ADD THE CITY REMAINS IN CONTACT WITH THE VENDOR AND THE FAA, WHO WILL CONDUCT A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION. AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE ARE KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH THIS FAMILY, HOPING THAT ALEXANDER PULLS THROUGH. SO AS SOON AS WE GET UPDATES ON HIM, WE’LL BE SURE TO HAVE THAT. ALSO, AS THE FAA CONTINUES ITS INVESTIGATION ON HOW THESE DRONES COLLIDED, CAUSING THIS ACCIDENT YESTERDAY, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE SURE TO HAVE THAT UPDATE AS WELL. I’M COVERING ORANGE C

The Federal Aviation Administration opened an investigation after multiple drones fell into a crowd during a drone show in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday. Video shows drones zipping through the air at Lake Eola before several collided and crashed into the crowd.The Orlando Fire Department said one person was injured during the event and taken to a hospital.Adriana Edgerton said the person injured was her 7-year-old son, Alexander. She said her son is undergoing open-heart surgery after being hit in the chest by the drone.Edgerton said that her family was watching the drone show when multiple drones fell from the sky and one hit her son."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.The boy underwent hours of open-heart surgery Sunday after the drone struck his chest with such force that it damaged one of his heart valves, Edgerton said.“The blade cut his mouth, but there’s an actual imprint of the drone on his chest,” she said.Video below: Multiple drones fall from sky during Orlando's Holiday Drone ShowIt is not yet clear what caused the drones to collide. A spokesperson from the FAA said the agency will investigate the incident.According to the FAA, "Drone arrays and light shows are subject to FAA regulation. Typically, these events require a waiver to the regulation that prohibits operating more than one drone at a time. We thoroughly review each drone show application to make sure the flying public and people on the ground will be safe."Edgerton said more safety precautions need to be put in place for large-scale events in the city."This should not have happened, and no family should be going through this. We were trying to watch a show and have a good time," said Edgerton.The drone show was organized by Sky Elements, a Texas-based company that performs events nationwide.In a statement, Sky Elements said, “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 added that it remains committed to upholding the highest safety standards.The city of Orlando also released a statement, saying, “Our thoughts are with the family and all those impacted by the outcome of this event. The city remains in contact with the vendor and the FAA, who will conduct a thorough investigation.”

ORLANDO, Fla. —

The Federal Aviation Administration opened an investigation after multiple drones fell into a crowd during a drone show in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday.

Video shows drones zipping through the air at Lake Eola before several collided and crashed into the crowd.

The Orlando Fire Department said one person was injured during the event and taken to a hospital.

Adriana Edgerton said the person injured was her 7-year-old son, Alexander. She said her son is undergoing open-heart surgery after being hit in the chest by the drone.

Edgerton said that her family was watching the drone show when multiple drones fell from the sky and one hit her son.

"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.

The boy underwent hours of open-heart surgery Sunday after the drone struck his chest with such force that it damaged one of his heart valves, Edgerton said.

“The blade cut his mouth, but there’s an actual imprint of the drone on his chest,” she said.

Video below: Multiple drones fall from sky during Orlando's Holiday Drone Show

It is not yet clear what caused the drones to collide. A spokesperson from the FAA said the agency will investigate the incident.

According to the FAA, "Drone arrays and light shows are subject to FAA regulation. Typically, these events require a waiver to the regulation that prohibits operating more than one drone at a time. We thoroughly review each drone show application to make sure the flying public and people on the ground will be safe."

Edgerton said more safety precautions need to be put in place for large-scale events in the city.

"This should not have happened, and no family should be going through this. We were trying to watch a show and have a good time," said Edgerton.

The drone show was organized by Sky Elements, a Texas-based company that performs events nationwide.

In a statement, Sky Elements said, “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 added that it remains committed to upholding the highest safety standards.

The city of Orlando also released a statement, saying, “Our thoughts are with the family and all those impacted by the outcome of this event. The city remains in contact with the vendor and the FAA, who will conduct a thorough investigation.”

7-year-old boy in hospital after drones fall from sky at Orlando holiday show

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