Officials said Tuesday that two Spanish tourists were killed and three others were injured after a hot air balloon crashed after a sightseeing trip of volcanic rock formations in central Turkey.
The disaster occurred in the province of Nevsehir in the Cappadocia region of Turkey, where hot air balloons soar above picturesque canyons and volcanic cones.
The governor’s office of Nevsehir issued a statement attributing the disaster to a “sudden rise in wind.” It was stated that emergency services came to the scene of the accident promptly.
On board the balloon were 28 tourists and two crew members. According to the statement, none of the victims suffered a life-threatening injury.
300 kilometers south of Ankara, the Cappadocia region is renowned for its “fairy chimney” rock formations, underground cities, and cathedrals carved into mountainside.
Each year, millions of tourists visit the region.
In recent years, there have been multiple tragic balloon incidents.
In 2013, three Brazilian tourists were killed and 22 others were injured when two hot-air balloons collided.
A Danish tourist was killed in 2017 when a balloon crashed due to strong winds.
Two months later, a French diplomat and several other individuals were killed and injured when their balloon collided with a power wire.
In 2021, a hot air balloon crashed into electrical wires in Albuquerque, New Mexico, killing five people.