(Photo: Shutterstock)
Disaster in the air: 2 tourists were killed and 3 others were injured in an accident that occurred last night (Tuesday), when a hot air balloon crashed to the ground in the Cappadocia region of Turkey. According to the local authorities, the hot air balloon landed in a rocky area due to severe weather conditions of strong winds.
The district governor’s announcement stated that “the hot air balloon took off from the Zalba Valley area of the Avnus theater near sunrise, with 28 passengers and two crew members on board. At 8:50 a.m., it encountered an unexpected increase in wind speed, and as a result landed in the Kilik area.” It was also said that the tourists who were killed had Spanish citizenship.
(Photo: Shutterstock)
The three injured were taken to the hospitals in the district, where they received medical treatment. The hospitals said that they were out of danger, but still needed treatment and remained hospitalized. At the same time, the governor’s office said that it would work to open a legal and administrative investigation regarding the circumstances of the accident.
The Cappadocia region is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is located on the borders of 6 provinces in the Anatolia region of central Turkey. The land of time is known for its special rock formations, which were created from ash accumulated following the eruption of volcanoes millions of years ago. About 2.5 million tourists visit the area every year, and many of them fly over the rocks in hot air balloons.
landed on the rocks. Cappadocia region in Turkey (Photo: Shutterstock)
This is not the first time a hot air balloon accident has occurred in Cappadocia. In 2017, an accident was reported that occurred in the area after a fight broke out between a passenger and one of the crew members, in which the deputy consul of France in Istanbul was killed. Also, in May 2013, 3 tourists were killed and 22 others were injured after two balloons collided with each other during flight.
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