308 Firecrackers And 80 Wild Balloons Allegedly For Syawalan Arrested By Pekalongan Police

Pekalongan City Police Chief AKBP Doni Prakoso Widamanto (number 2 from the left) is showing firecrackers and balloon furnaces from the KRYD operation in Pekalongan, Central Java, Thursday (18/4/2024). BETWEEN ANTARA/Kutnadi

JATENG - Pekalongan City Resort Police (Polres) secured 308 firecrackers, 13 furnaces, and 80 balloons in the last two days. The evidence that was secured was allegedly ready to be flown wildly at the Syawalan tradition event.

Pekalongan City Police Chief AKBP Doni Prakoso Widamanto said flying wild hot air balloons into the air without being moored was something that had been banned by the government.

"Flying wild air balloons, even being given firecrackers, could endanger the safety of flight routes and others if the balloon hit the fuselage or crashed into the roof of a resident's house," he said in Pekalongan, Central Java, Thursday, April 18, as reported by Antara.

According to him, in the previous year, the number of hot air balloons seized by the police was around 200 balloons and 500 firecrackers or decreased when compared to 2024 as many as 80 balloons and 308 firecrackers.

In accordance with the Ministry of Transportation's statement, it was stated that what was allowed by the 2024 Tambat Air Balloon Festival was in the Pekalongan and Wonosobo areas.

"However, with the agenda of the 2024 Tambat Air Balloon Festival, the number of wild balloons and firecrackers could drop significantly. We hope that residents can be aware of the dangers of flying balloons wildly," he said.

Doni gave an example of the case of flying wild balloons accompanied by firecrackers, both causing material casualties and physical defects.

Therefore, he hopes that the public will be more aware and no one will fly wild hot air balloons filled with firecrackers.

"Let's create a safe Syawalan tradition that does not endanger the safety of others and the flight path," he said.