The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after several drones plummeted into a downtown Orlando crowd during a weekend holiday display, severely injuring a seven-year-old boy now facing recovery from complicated heart surgery and Christmas in the ICU.
Adriana Edgerton and her family were among the crowd of about 25,000 gathered around Lake Eola for the annual holiday drone show, when something went wrong. Videos across social media show several drones collided in the sky and plunged toward the crowd.
As people turned to run, Edgerton said she and her daughter found her 7-year-old son Alezander on the ground.
The boy’s trip to the hospital is documented on Edgerton’s Facebook post showing her son in a hospital bed with a cut on his lip. She said he would have to have emergency heart surgery because a drone hit him in the chest so hard it left an impression.
He underwent the surgery yesterday.
In a statement, the City of Orlando says it remains in contact with Edgerton family, the drone company, and the FAA, who are investigating the incident.
The FAA regulates and permits all drone and light shows. The agency confirmed the ongoing investigation in its own statement.
A release from the Texas-based show operator Sky Elements says in part, quote, “we are diligently working with the FAA and City of Orlando officials to determine the cause and are committed to establishing a clear picture of what transpired.”
The boy’s family is calling for accountability as they prepare for a Christmas in the ICU.
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