A striking white balloon could be spotted this morning in the southern part of our province and also in Overijssel. At first glance it appears to be an “ordinary” hot air balloon. But if you look closer, you will see that this balloon looks slightly different.
For example, this white balloon lacks the gas burner that is visible on a hot air balloon. Henk Nijmeijer spotted the mysterious white balloon above Drogterstoringen and emailed the editors of RTV Drenthe asking what type of balloon this is.
The white balloon has been seen more often in Overijssel in recent years and that caused a lot of speculation at the time. They ranged from a weather balloon to the most intense conspiracy theories. RTV Oost then managed to take the sting out of the most exciting spy stories by finding out the owner of the balloon. It turned out to be a gas balloon from Rien Jurg Productions in Hengelo.
RTV Drenthe therefore called the company to ask whether it was the same balloon again. That appears not to be the case. A spokeswoman for the company: “No, it is not us. You are not the first to call about it, but it is not our balloon. I have not seen the photos, I suspect it is a gas balloon from Germany. We are the only ones in the Netherlands with such a balloon. But this is not ours.”
Several people also responded on the Facebook page of RTV Oost that it was a German gas balloon. Such a gas balloon or helium balloon does not need a burner to stay in the air like a hot air balloon. This type of balloon is filled with gas and can therefore stay higher and longer in the air.
In Nijmeijer’s photo we also see something like a flag dangling from the balloon with the colors of the German flag. So that fact also makes it very likely that it is a German balloon.
Can this balloon also be detected in air traffic systems? We spoke to harbor master Bert Diephuis of the airport in Hoogeveen. “I have not seen any reports about this gas balloon, but it may not have been close enough to our airport for that. If it was a gas balloon or helium balloon, it must indeed report to air traffic control. These balloons usually fly higher than the hot air balloons. They stay below 1000 feet (304.8 meters ed.), this does not apply to the helium balloons. They must therefore have a transponder,” the harbor master explains.
Bert Diephuis checked the radar systems at the beginning of the afternoon, but no longer sees any gas balloons passing by in the area. “It may have already landed,” he suggests.
RTV Oost lets Walter Weissman speak, who has experience with such a gas balloon: “In 1994 I was able to experience a flight in such a balloon with my daughter. In the middle of the night from the Glanerbrug border crossing with the balloon on a trailer to the Ruhr area. There it was unpacked and filled and then took off early in the morning to land behind Tecklenburg in the afternoon. A great experience and super quiet, because no roaring burner is needed.”
He also says: “A gas balloon can stay in the air for hours to days, in contrast to the often only 1-hour flight of a hot air balloon.”
In short, this tip with a mysterious photo from Drogterstoringen does not lead to any wild spy stories, but it is certainly a special sight.
