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A hot air balloon recently crashed in Arizona on January 14, 2024, and claimed the lives of four people. The incident took place in a town called Eloy, which is located towards the southeast side of Phoenix, as per the New York Post.
USA Today reported that there were five people in the balloon when the crash took place. While one individual was injured in the incident and taken to a trauma center, another died on the spot. Three people were then rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to their injuries.
Meanwhile, it has not been confirmed if all four people who died in the accident belonged to the same group or family. While detailed information on the identity of the victims is awaited, one of them was revealed to be a nurse named Katie Bartrom, who was 28 years old at the time of her death, as per WNDU.
An investigation has been launched by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration to learn more details about what led to the hot air balloon crash.
Eight skydivers completed their planned jump before the hot air balloon crashed in Eloy
NPR reported that the hot air balloon crash took place on January 14 at 7:50 am local time in Eloy, Arizona. According to Eloy's official website, it is home to around 18,000 people and was formed in the late 1800s as a railroad town. Located in south-central Arizona, it spans 113.7 square miles and is equidistant from Tucson and Phoenix.
As per Eloy Mayor Micah Powell, the air balloon initially took off with 13 passengers. However, eight of them were skydivers, and the crash took place after they completed their planned jump, as per BBC.
Eloy Police Department shared a Facebook post and revealed that the hot air balloon crashed in a desert located towards the east side of Sunshine Blvd. and Hanna Rd. in Eloy. They disclosed that the one individual who had been injured in the crash was in critical condition and wrote:
"We are working closely with federal agencies, including the NTSB and FAA, to investigate the cause of this tragic event. While we continue our efforts, we ask for your thoughts and support for the families and loved ones affected during this difficult time."
One of the four deceased individuals was reportedly identified as Indiana-based Katie Bartrom, who was with her friends in Arizona.
Katie's mother Jennifer Hubartt spoke to Scripps News Phoenix and expressed her grief in a statement, describing her daughter as a "beautiful person" and continued:
"I talked to her while she was down there and she was really enjoying the experience and having fun and seeing a new place that she had never seen before."
According to BBC, the balloon that crashed on Sunday was an A160 from Cameron Balloons. The initial investigation stated there was reportedly an "unspecified problem with its envelope," which led to the crash, as per CNN.
The cause of the crash is currently being investigated, and further details about the same are awaited.
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