One person died last night in a hot air balloon accident in De Hoeve, Friesland, while five others were rushed to the hospital.
According to RTL Nieuws, a sudden gust of wind hit the large balloon carrying 34 people, which later landed in a field.
Sudden gust caused people to fall
A spokesperson for the Royal Netherlands Aeronautical Association (KNVvL) tells RTL Nieuws that the balloon took off from Joure, Friesland, just after 8 PM.
About an hour later, while searching for a landing spot, the wind suddenly picked up.
”A sudden gust of wind caused the balloon to fly forward. With a strong wind, this can reach speeds of 20 to 30 kilometres per hour,” a KNvvL spokesperson says.
The balloon — registered as PH-GPH — carried 32 passengers as well as a pilot and co-pilot.
”Some of them apparently couldn’t hold on properly due to the force and fell out of the basket,” the spokesperson adds.
Ambulances, helicopters, and investigators on the scene
Emergency services were called around 9:00 PM, with two trauma helicopters and at least fourteen ambulances rushing to the scene.
The Friesland Safety Region confirmed the operation was escalated to ”code 10,” mobilising a medical team, two medical officers, the Dutch Red Cross, and a medical van.
Five people are in the hospital with injuries whose severity is still unclear. The other passengers were taken by bus to a shelter.
Lighting has been installed in the field to allow aviation to investigate through the night, with the inquiry continuing today to determine exactly what went wrong.
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