US: 4 dead, 1 severely injured in hot-air balloon crash in Arizona desert

As many as four people were killed while another was severely injured after a hot-air balloon crashed in the Arizona desert on Sunday (Jan 14), according to the local police.

The fatal crash took place near Eloy just before 8 in the morning. There were a total of 13 people in the balloon with eight jumping out of it before the crash happened. Five people remained inside, including the pilot and four who were along for the ride.

In the press release by the police department, it was mentioned that one of the four victims died at the scene and three were taken to a local hospital where they succumbed to the injuries. The fourth one remains hospitalised.

"A tragic hot air balloon crash occurred at approximately 7:50 AM today in the desert area east of Sunshine Blvd. and Hanna Rd. in Eloy, AZ. The Eloy Police Department regretfully confirms that there are four deceased individuals and one person in critical condition as a result of this incident," the Eloy Police Department informed.

Cause of the incident?

The cause of the crash remains unknown at this stage but officials from theNational Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) arrived atthe scene and tookover the investigation.

The Eloy Police Department said it was withholding the names of the victims out of respect for their privacy.

According to a witness, who saw the last 10 seconds of the balloon's fatal freefall, said the otherwise puffy object looked deflated, shapeless and coming straight down to the ground.

The city's mayor, Micah Powell said the area where the incident took place is a popular location for skydivers and is "very well-known and loved" among enthusiasts.

“It’s a sad, sad situation.Our hearts go out to those families who lost loved ones," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)