Popular tourist activity descends into horror: Pilot killed and 19 tourists injured after air balloon crash in Turkey
A pilot has tragically died and 19 tourists are injured after a hot air balloon crashed in Turkey.
The incident happened near the Ihlara Valley in Aksaray province on Sunday, the Ilhas News Agency first reported.
In a statement, the governor's office said the balloon was affected by a sudden change of wind.
It was trying to make a hard landing near the village of Gozlukuyu in Aksaray province, when the pilot fell out the balloon's basket and his feet got tangled in a rope, Aksaray Governor Mehmet Ali Kumbuzoglu said.
'Unfortunately, our pilot got stuck under the basket and died,' he explained, adding that the injured tourists were taken to a hospital.
The tragedy happened near the Ihlara Valley in Aksaray province, where hot air ballooning is popular among tourists (Stock photo)
An aerial view of the Ihlara Valley in Turkey (Stock photo)
Distressing footage shows a deflated balloon with a passenger basket lying on its side.
Emergency services are understood to have rushed to the scene to tend to injured people.
Hot air ballooning is a common attraction over the rugged landscape of central Turkey, which is dotted with ancient churches hewn into cliff faces.
The attractions include the 'fairy chimneys' of Cappadocia - tall, cone-shaped rock formations created by natural erosion over thousands of years that are a Unesco World Heritage Site.
