One person was killed and 19 Indonesian tourists were injured when a hot-air balloon crashed in central Turkey on June 15, according to local authorities. The accident happened near the village of Gözlükuyu in Aksaray province, after a sudden change in wind conditions forced the balloon into a hard landing. Officials said the pilot died after falling from the basket and becoming entangled in a rope.
Images showed the deflated balloon and overturned basket as emergency responders assisted the injured. An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway. Hot-air ballooning is a popular tourist attraction in Turkey, particularly in the scenic region of Cappadocia.
You've probably seen a few harrowing stories of plane crashes, but, sadly, they're not the only kind of aviation accidents that can occur. Hot-air balloons have been around longer than planes, and as
peaceful as they may seem, these rides can be very dangerous. Originally pioneered in the 18th century, any kind of irreversible damage to or poor decisions made in one of these aircraft can lead to horrible accidents.
Need proof? Check out this gallery to discover the deadliest hot-air balloon accidents in history.