New Zealand hot air balloon crashes, injuring 11 people on board
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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – A hot air balloon crashed as it was about to land in New Zealand on Friday, injuring all 11 people on board, including two who sustained serious injuries and were airlifted to a hospital, according to authorities and the balloon company.
Sunrise Balloons said the hour-long trip near Queenstown went without incident and was operating at normal wind speeds when the pilot attempted to land on a private airstrip just before 10 a.m.
“On the approach, the balloon was struck by a sudden gust of wind and the basket containing the passengers struck a low bank,” the company said in a statement.
Medics said the injured were scattered over an area the length of a football field.
“So responding to these patients and figuring out what the situation was took some time depending on the length of the scene,†David Baillie, Saint John Ambulance director of operations, told TVNZ.
The balloon’s basket ended up near an alley while the balloon’s fabric was draped over a power line, according to the company.
The two seriously injured passengers were taken by helicopter to Dunedin hospital. The pilot and the other eight passengers were treated for minor or moderate injuries and then released.
Sunrise Balloons owner and chief pilot Hugh McLellan said the company was “deeply moved” by the incident and the injuries sustained by their pilot and guests.
The company said it has temporarily halted other flights and is cooperating with police and aviation authorities, who are investigating the incident.
All of the passengers were New Zealand residents, the company said. New Zealand closed its borders to foreign tourists more than a year ago due to the coronavirus pandemic.