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One second he was proudly helping to raise a monster-sized national flag...the next he was hanging from it in the sky when it took him with it after getting caught by a gust of wind.

While everyone else taking part in the military ceremony at Durango, north of Mexico City, managed to let go, to soldier was carried about....into the air by the red, white and green Mexican flag on Saturday.

Filming of the video, which has been posted on YouTube, began as he was already on the descent and he is seen, legs flailing, dropping with some speed.

Members of the armed forces, including a brass band on the parade, tried to help him down.

The flag acted as a sort of parachute on the way down, but he still fell at some speed, amazingly, avoiding serious injury.

Local online reports said: "The military tried to assist their partner who fell from a considerable height, but is reported to be out of danger.

"The strange thing is that the flagpole was inaugurated in Durango at the beginning of April and this is the second accident. The first was when the giant red flag was torn."