Turkey Balloon Accident – Wednesday 16th December
Sadly news has come in that on Wednesday 16th December another balloon accident resulting in a passenger fatality occurred in Cappadocia, Turkey. The cause of the accident is currently unknown but initial reports hint at it being a landing accident, one suggesting it was caused by ‘strong winds’. A Chinese tourist, identified as 23 year old Tang Yi, died at the scene while nine other tourists, all of them believed to be Chinese and Malaysian nationals, were hospitalised for fractures and broken bones one of which was described as critical. It is thought that the balloon had taken off on an sunrise flight along with others from Goreme. The Dogan News Agency added that ‘the balloon crashed because of strong winds in the Nevsehir province, in the Karadag area, near the Avanos-Nevsehir highway’, ‘for an, as yet, unknown reason’. The injured were taken to nearby Versa Hospital in Nevsehir for medical treatment. Later reports indicate that it appears two balloons may have have landed ‘simultaneously’ in high winds and the number of injured is now put at eleven including three Turkish nationals. Police and the aviation authority have launched an investigation into the incident. Our sympathies go out to all those involved.
http://www.straitstimes.com/news/world/middle-east/story/chinese-tourist-killed-malaysians-injured-turkey-balloon-crash-report-2#sthash.kHWQISfe.dpuf
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/436617–one-killed-in-hot-air-balloon-crash-in-turkey http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/tourist-killed-11-injured-after-two-hot-air-balloons-crash-in-turkey/story-fnizu68q-1227160052461