A boy was hospitalized after being hit by one of several drones that crashed into each other during a holiday air show Saturday night in Orlando, authorities said.
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The boy and his family were watching the holiday drone show when something slipped and several small drones "crashed into each other and fell into the crowd," the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
The incident happened around 6:45 p.m. Saturday at Lake Eloa in Orlando, in front of thousands of spectators, according to the FAA.
The injured boy's family told ABC News Sunday that he was hit in the chest by one of the crashing drones.
The boy was taken to a hospital, according to an Orlando Fire Department spokesman. The incident occurred during one of two drone-free displays scheduled for the holiday season on Saturday night. After the incident, the city canceled the second display due to what it described as "technical difficulties."
About 25,000 people were attending the family-friendly event when the incident occurred, officials said.
The city billed the event as a "dazzling display of synchronized drones flying in formation to create beautiful holiday-themed patterns in the night sky."
"Attendees will be able to sit back and watch the 15-minute light show from the comfort of their blankets and lawn chairs," the city said in a promotional video for the show.
Video from an attendee showed more than 200 drones forming a red and green Christmas display as some of the crafty drones began falling from the sky, crashing onto the ground and water.
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"Should I go down?" "Is this good or bad," a child asked in one of the videos capturing the incident.
Firefighters were already at the park, maintaining an emergency tent set up about 50 feet from where a drone hit the boy, according to a city statement. After the crash, paramedics arrived at the injured boy and began administering first aid, according to the statement.
"Our hearts go out to the family and everyone affected by the outcome of this event," the city statement said. "The city will remain in contact with the vendor and the FAA, who will conduct a full investigation."
The company that organized the drone show was identified by the city as Sky Elements Drones of North Richland Hills, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The company issued a statement Sunday saying it "would like to convey our sincere hopes for a full and speedy recovery for those affected."
Sky Elements Drones said it follows guidelines set by the FAA to ensure the safety of its shows, which are seen by "millions" of people each year.
"The well-being of our audience is our top priority and we apologize for any inconvenience or inconvenience caused," the statement continued, adding that Sky Elements Drones was working with authorities to investigate the incident.
"We carefully review each drone display application to ensure that the flying public and those on the ground will be safe," the FAA said in a statement.
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