Hot air balloon crash in Arizona desert leaves 4 dead and 1 critically injured, police say
A hot air balloon crash-landed in the southern Arizona desert Sunday, leaving four people dead and another person critically injured, police announced. The “devastating incident” happened around 7:50 a.m. in Eloy, a city about 65 miles south of Phoenix, the local police department said in a news release[1]. It came down in a desert area east of Sunshine Boulevard and Hanna Road.
Though the exact cause of the crash is unknown, preliminary information suggests it occurred after the balloon had an “unspecified problem with its envelope,” said the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the incident. The identities of the victims are not being publicly released until authorities have notified their next of kin, according to the Eloy Police Department’s release. NTSB investigators were at the scene Sunday night documenting the crash site and examining the aircraft, which will be brought to a secure facility for further analysis in the coming days, an agency spokesperson told CNN.
The aircraft was an A-160 passenger balloon manufactured by Cameron Balloons, according to the NTSB. The model can carry a pilot and up to seven riders, the manufacturer’s website[2] says. CNN has sought comment from Cameron Balloons.
The Eloy Police Department said it is working with the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration on the investigation. “While we continue our efforts, we ask for your thoughts and support for the families and loved ones affected during this difficult time,” police said. This is a developing story and will be updated.
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References
- ^ news release (www.facebook.com)
- ^ manufacturer’s website (www.cameronballoons.co.uk)
- ^ CNN.com (www.cnn.com)