Hot Air Balloon Crashes To Earth In Flames With Multiple Injuries

A freak hot air balloon accident today has resulted in a total of seven people injured.

The incident happened on Saturday, June 17, when a hot air balloon caught fire shortly after it took off in Switzerland, leaving seven injured after it crashed to the ground, according to Le Parisien.

The casualties included four women and three men who were in the balloon’s basket when the incident occurred this morning. Three of the injured are said to be in a serious condition. The other four individuals are believed to have suffered minor injuries.

Police confirmed that the incident occurred early today in the canton of Zug in northern Switzerland. The balloon had just taken off from Mattenboden in the municipality of Hünenberg at around 6:00 am when it burst into flames and came crashing down to earth from a low altitude.

The victims’ ages ranged between 28 and 62, of which, two women and one man were said to be seriously injured.

Emergency services were alerted to the scene where they managed to extinguish the fire quickly and secure the scene. The injured were taken to hospital by the emergency services as well as private individuals

The cause of the accident is unknown and is being investigated by the Swiss Security Investigation Service (SESE). The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office is responsible for any criminal prosecution, as the accident falls under the Federal Aviation Act.

A tweet posted by Swiss police announced: ‘In the municipality of Hünenberg, a hot air balloon caught fire during a launch manoeuvre on Saturday morning. Seven people were injured, three of them seriously. The cause of the accident is still unclear and is being investigated.’

In October 2022, two Spanish tourists lost their lives after a hot air balloon crash in Turkey.

Between 2008 and 2022, hot air balloon accidents were responsible for less than than 30 fatalities worldwide, which highlights the rarity of these accidents.