Thousands of Havana residents watched tailor Matías Pérez rise into the sky in a balloon. The craft soon disappeared beyond the horizon, and its pilot vanished without a trace. Nearly 170 years later, no one knows what happened on that flight.
Matías Pérez lived in Havana and worked as a tailor, but the city knew him for more than his trade. He was fascinated by ballooning, a field that was only beginning to develop in the mid-19th century and was still regarded almost as a scientific marvel.
In 1856, French aeronaut Eugène Godard, one of Europe's best-known balloonists of the era, arrived in Havana. His demonstration flights drew huge crowds and became a major city event. After seeing them, Pérez bought a balloon and decided to take to the air himself.
His first ascent went well. Pérez rose above the city, flew over the surrounding area, and landed safely. The flight made him a local celebrity and gave him confidence for a second launch.
The second flight began in poor weather. Witnesses said the wind over the city was growing stronger, but the launch went ahead. The balloon was quickly carried toward the sea and soon vanished from view.
Pérez never returned.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Searches found nothing. Neither the balloon nor any sign of a possible landing was ever discovered. In the mid-19th century, such efforts depended on chance sightings and luck, while air currents could carry a balloon tens or even hundreds of kilometers away.
Pérez's disappearance was still remembered decades later. It gave rise to the phrase “Voló como Matías Pérez” — “He flew away like Matías Pérez.” In Cuba, it is said of someone who suddenly disappears without a trace.
The mystery remains unsolved. The place and time of his final ascent are known, but where and how the flight ended are not.
