THE HAGUE: A Dutch mayor on Sunday offered psychological assistance to inhabitants of her town who witnessed a man make a deadly jump from an air balloon.

The body of the man fell into a garden in the town of Zundert, the birthplace of impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh, near the border with Belgium.

Zundert mayor Joyce Vermue said on social media that the “tragic incident” happened on Saturday evening.

“A person jumped from a hot air balloon above Zundert. The person landed in a garden and died.”

“We are very aware that many people witnessed or heard about this,” she said, offering counselling at the town hall for anyone who had seen the fall.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2026