Tragic accident during flight. Balloons with tourists fell to the ground

On Sunday, June 15, two serious balloon accidents occurred in Cappadocia. Tourists from India and Indonesia who had come to central Turkey to take advantage of sightseeing flights were taken to hospital after falling from a height. A total of 31 people were injured. Unfortunately, the pilot of one of the balloons did not survive the trip. This is not the first fatal incident in the region famous worldwide for its aerial shows.

Two balloons fell to the ground

The past weekend ended in tragedy in one of Turkey's most popular regions. On Sunday, two separate hot-air balloon crashes occurred in Cappadocia. The first occurred in the Ihlara Valley, and the second near the city of Güzelyurt.

Tourists from Indonesia and India were in baskets suspended several hundred meters above the ground. As a result of the fall of the first balloon and the hard landing of the second, participants in the air cruises were taken to hospital with minor injuries. The pilot of the first balloon did not survive the accident, he got tangled in the ropes and fell off the platform before the balloon fell to the ground.

Tourists are happy to use this attraction

The Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia is a popular tourist destination. Visitors from all over the world come to the Aksaraym province to take advantage of a balloon flight over the characteristic tuff formations, resembling a lunar landscape. Unfortunately, this attraction has repeatedly proven to be dangerous in the past - in recent years, there have even been dozens of accidents here - in 2022, two tourists died during one of the flights.

A balloon flight in Cappadocia is not the cheapest attraction. A standard trip lasts 60 minutes and costs, depending on the chosen package and season, from 150 to even 400 euros. Much more expensive private flights, organized for example on the occasion of an engagement, are also popular.