Romantic proposal turns to horror as hot air balloon drifts out to sea

They had set up their camera to record the romantic scene of a dusk hot air balloon proposal over the Californian beach.

But instead hundreds watched in horror as the newly-engaged couple were forced to abandon the troubled balloon as it drifted perilously out to sea.

Groom-to-be Eric Barretto got down on one knee for the "unforgettable" proposal before the balloon ran into trouble about 6.30pm on Sunday, he told NBC San Diego.

"It's unforgettable. That's all I can say," Mr Barretto said.

"I don't know if we'll do it again."

The balloon had been hovering low over coastal homes before a shift in the wind swept it offshore.

Onlookers watched as the pilot dropped a messenger line into the surf and Mr Barretto and his new fiancé, Jennilyn Buenaventura Garcia plunged into the water below.

One of the duo didn't know how to swim and was the first to be rescued by lifeguards.

Both were brought to shore and the hot air balloon towed in.

"Yeah this is pretty crazy," Mark Burnz, who filmed the scene, told Fox5.

"It was pretty wild.

"We just talked to hot air balloon people. They're really great people. They take safety very seriously, and for whatever reason, the atmosphere conditions changed and took them over the water."