A tragedy unfolded today in the state of Santa Catarina, in a region often referred to as the “Brazilian Cappadocia.” In a video filmed from the ground, flames can be seen shooting from the burner toward the hot air balloon. The balloon quickly deflated, releasing a thick cloud of black smoke, and then caught fire.
Moments later, the burning basket carrying passengers detached from the balloon and plummeted to the ground. Several people witnessed the horrifying fall.
The injured are receiving medical assistance, confirmed state governor Jorginho Mello. “We are all deeply shaken by the accident. It has been confirmed that 8 people died and 13 survived,” he wrote on social media.
One local woman said she saw “a woman covered in mud and in a state of shock.” A limping man was walking beside her. The eyewitness added that two bodies were lying nearby on the ground.
The balloon was operated by a commercial company that regularly offers flights over Brazil’s rural and mountainous areas. The tourist rides typically last about 45 minutes, with the balloon reaching heights of up to 1,000 meters. The balloon involved in the accident was considered the largest in their fleet.
Earlier, two people were killed in a separate hot air balloon crash involving Russian tourists in the UAE. The injured were transported to hospitals in serious and moderate conditions by ambulances and helicopters.
