This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/30/hot-air-balloon-crash-texas
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Texas hot air balloon crash appears to leave at least 16 dead, officials say | Texas hot air balloon crash appears to leave at least 16 dead, officials say |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A hot air balloon carrying at least 16 people crashed in central Texas on Saturday, apparently leaving no survivors. | A hot air balloon carrying at least 16 people crashed in central Texas on Saturday, apparently leaving no survivors. |
| In a statement emailed to the Guardian, Lynn Lunsford, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), said the balloon caught fire in flight at about 7.40am local time. The balloon crashed into a pasture near Lockhart, about 30 miles south of Austin. | In a statement emailed to the Guardian, Lynn Lunsford, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), said the balloon caught fire in flight at about 7.40am local time. The balloon crashed into a pasture near Lockhart, about 30 miles south of Austin. |
| “It does not appear at this time that there were any survivors of the crash,” Caldwell County sheriff Daniel Law said in a statement provided by his office. | “It does not appear at this time that there were any survivors of the crash,” Caldwell County sheriff Daniel Law said in a statement provided by his office. |
| Lunsford said investigators from the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were en route to the scene. She could not confirm the condition of the balloon’s passengers. | Lunsford said investigators from the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were en route to the scene. She could not confirm the condition of the balloon’s passengers. |
| The land near the crash site is mostly farmland with corn crops and grazing cattle, the Associated Press reported, adding that the site of the crash appeared to be below a row of high-capacity power lines about four or five stories tall. | |
| Lockhart’s police and fire departments did not immediately return requests for details. | Lockhart’s police and fire departments did not immediately return requests for details. |
| The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, said in a statement: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, as well as the Lockhart community.” |