A Scottsdale woman was critically injured and four others were killed after a hot air balloon crashed 60 miles south of Phoenix over the weekend.
A 23-year-old woman was the lone survivor of Sunday’s crash. The balloon was operated by Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides out of Casa Grande. Eloy police said. The company’s founder and pilot Cornelius Van Der Walt was one of the four fatalities.
Eloy Mayor Micah Powell says five people were in the balloon’s gondola when it went down Sunday morning.
"Three of them were taken to a local hospital where they passed away. There was one that passed away here on scene," Powell said.
There were 13 people on the balloon at the time of takeoff, including eight skydivers, who completed their jump before there were any apparent issues with the balloon.
According to Eloy’s police chief, the victims were in the balloon to watch the skydivers jump.
Powell also said the Eloy/Casa Grande area is popular with skydivers.
"The skydive community is very large here in the city of Eloy, and it’s affected all of us," he said.
Eloy police are assisting the NTSB and FAA with their investigation. As of Monday afternoon, the NTSB says it has yet to find any mechanical anomalies with the balloon.
