Four people were killed and one was seriously injured Sunday in a hot air balloon crash in Arizona, police said.
The tragic incident occurred at approximately 7:50 a.m. in a desert area of Eloy, a small town with a population of just over 15,000, and about 65 miles northwest of Phoenix, known as “the skydiving capital of the world.”
The cause of the accident was not immediately known.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were leading the investigation.
One of the victims was identified by her family as 28-year-old Katie Bartrom.
Her mother told ABC 15 that Bartrom was a registered nurse from Indiana who enjoyed skydiving and adventure.
The identities of the other victims were being withheld until their next of kin were notified.
Four people were killed and one was seriously injured Sunday in a hot air balloon crash in Arizona, police said. ABC15 One of the victims was identified by her family as 28-year-old Katie Bartrom. Facebook
It was not immediately clear if or how the victims knew each other.
Eloy Mayor Micah Powell said 13 people were aboard the balloon.
Initially, eight parachutists who jumped before the accident, four passengers and a pilot, were together.
Bartrom’s mother told ABC 15 that she was a registered nurse from Indiana who enjoyed skydiving and adventure. Facebook Eloy Mayor Micah Powell said 13 people were aboard the balloon before the accident. ABC15
The mayor told the New York Times that a witness saw the balloon’s final moments before the crash and said it was deflated and falling downward.
Eloy Police Department Chief Byron Gwaltney said some type of catastrophic failure occurred, according to the New York Times.
“The Eloy Police Department sadly confirms that there are four people deceased and one person in critical condition as a result of this incident,” the department said in a statement.
The tragic incident occurred at approximately 7:50 a.m. in a desert area of Eloy, a small town about 65 miles northwest of Phoenix. ABC15
“More information will be provided as it becomes available. “We thank the community for their support and understanding as we navigate this tragic event.”
Eloy is home to two parachute manufacturers: Firebird USA and Sun Path Products, as well as the world’s largest parachute drop zone, Skydive Arizona, which is located about five miles from the balloon crash site.
An employee who answered the phone declined to comment Sunday afternoon.
This story is developing.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn