Guerin balloon accident. 19th-century illustration of the accidental ascent of a 12-year-old apprentice boy named Guerin below a hot air balloon in Nantes, France, in 1845. Guerin was one of the spectators when the balloon broke free of its tethers before launch. The balloon's anchor caught in the boy's waistband and he was pulled into the air. The air in the balloon cooled as it ascended, and the boy and balloon descended safely to the ground 15 minutes later. Artwork from 'Aerostation - Aviation' (1911) by French civil engineer Max de Nansouty (1854-1913), part of the 'Les merveilles de la science' series of 1867-1891 by Louis Figuier.