A hot-air balloon crash landed near the Teotihuacán archaeological ruins in México state on Monday, injuring nine people, four of whom were over 60.
The accident occurred around midday in the community of Atlatongo, close to the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon.
The operating company Volare was forced to land the balloon, which was carrying 15 sightseers including two foreign tourists, due to a technical fault amid unfavorable flying conditions, but lost control as it approached the ground.
Five women and four men were injured and taken to a hospital in Axapusco. Two of them were later transferred to a hospital in Mexico City.
The injuries included concussion, broken bones, sprains and loss of lower body movement.
Globo aerostático aterriza de forma incorrecta en San Juan Teotihuacán, #Edomex, y al menos nueve turistas extranjeros resultan lesionados.
Al parecer la falta de pericia del piloto y el mal clima provocaron el incidente.
🎥 @danielderosastv https://t.co/osRwGVsczM pic.twitter.com/ExkfZe5Ib6
— Azteca Noticias (@AztecaNoticias) November 29, 2021
The hot-air balloon was partially destroyed after it came down on the side of the La Legua-Teotihuacán highway. Security officials said that when they arrived the balloon was deflated and the basket was detached.
“Given the difficulties, he [the pilot] had to descend precipitously and fell brushing the branches of a tree on the side of the road, between the La Garita area and the road to the community of San Isidro,” a police report said.
Volare hasn’t yet confirmed the cause of the accident, the newspaper Milenio reported.
With reports from Milenio, TV Azteca and El Financiero
