This is the moment a giant hot air balloon comes crashing down onto a packed beach in Brazil.

Sun seekers filmed the incident as it unfolded on Leme Beach in Rio de Janeiro on 15th January.

Footage shows how the 20-foot-tall balloon – picturing the crest of the football club Botafogo, a black ribbon, and the name ‘Barroso’ – landed awkwardly on the packed sands.

Eyewitness Brenda Dippe, 25, told local media: “It all happened so fast. I was astounded.

“In a few seconds it fell in the middle of the crowd. Luckily no one was hurt.

“At first I thought it would go over the buildings and go towards Urca. I didn’t think it would fall there and with that speed.”

Bizarrely, another hot air balloon plunged into the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon nearby just hours later.

Eyewitness Berger Elias told local media: “It was a big relief because if it falls in a wooded area or on a building it would be a bigger accident.”

The Rio de Janeiro Fire Department said it was not called out to either incident and there were no reports of injuries.

Since 1998, it has been a criminal offence to “manufacture, sell, transport or release balloons that could cause fires in forests and other forms of vegetation, in urban areas or any type of human settlement”.

The penalty is one to three years in prison and/or a fine.