Hot air balloon crashes in Turkey, leaving one person dead and 19 injured
One person has died and 19 others have been injured after a hot air balloon crashed in Turkey.
The accident occurred near the Ihlara Valley in Aksaray province, the Ilhas News Agency said.
The pilot died and 19 Indonesian tourists were injured, with the incident happening after a sudden change of wind, according to officials.
The balloon was trying to make a hard landing near the village of Gozlukuyu in Aksaray province, when the pilot fell out of the balloon’s basket and his feet got tangled in a rope, Aksaray Governor Mehmet Ali Kumbuzoglu said.
“Unfortunately, our pilot got stuck under the basket and died,” he said, adding that the injured tourists were taken to hospital.
Another hot air balloon taking off from the same location of Ilhara Valley also made a hard landing early on Sunday morning, injuring 12 Indian tourists who were taken to hospital, local media said.
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Hot air ballooning is a popular tourist activity in central Turkey.
The attractions include the “fairy chimneys” of Cappadocia – tall, cone-shaped rock formations created by natural erosion over thousands of years that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Video shared by the news agency shows the deflated balloon, with its passenger basket lying on its side. Emergency services could be seen nearby, tending to injured people.
