'I thought my son was dead': Father watches as hot air balloon crashes into high voltage cables trapping three teenagers for 5 hours
UK News
Pilot Adam Griffiths, 18, and his two passengers suffered minor burns when they crashed into a Northamptonshire electricity pylon, absorbing its 132,000 volts of power.
Source: Home | Mail Online
Hot Air Balloon Crashes (Hover)
An Egyptian security official says at least 19 foreign tourists were killed as their hot air balloon crashed near the famed ancient city of Luxor. The casualties included French, British and other nationals. Ref. USAToday
Egypt balloon pilot 'jumped without turning off gas'
The pilot of a hot-air balloon that caught fire in mid-air and crashed, killing 19 tourists, jumped from the gondola without shutting off the gas valve, Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Wael al-Maadawi said. Ref. Source 6
The body of one of three people aboard a hot air balloon that caught fire and crashed Friday night has been recovered, Virginia State Police said today.
The other two are still missing and presumed dead, said state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller.
The balloon burst into flames after drifting into power lines 25 miles north of Richmond. Images from the scene showed the balloon soaring in the air with its bottom part ablaze.
Witnesses described people falling or jumping out of its basket. Ref. CNN
A large hot-air balloon carrying at least 16 people caught fire in flight Saturday morning and crashed in Lockhart, Texas, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
There were no survivors, the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office said in a statement to CNN affiliate TWC News Austin. Ref. CNN.
With a national hot air balloon classic competition going on in my home town this week it is hard not to wonder if something like this can happen here. I have been up in a hot air balloon three times. I find it peaceful up floating around letting the wind carry you where it wants you to go. While being up 500-1000 feet does not seem like a long ways up but it can be deadly.
I feel for those who have lost their lives and hope that it does not take away from the peace and serenity one can find while being up in a hot air balloon.
This is horrible beyond imagining. I have a great fear of heights and ugh… I can really visual this. I can handle plane rides but no balloon rides for me! I have never heard of this happening before. Reading those other news stories I see it happens from time to time.