Disasters & Accidents

2 Die in balloon accident in Mexico

Mexico City, Apr 1 (EFE).- Two people were killed and three others injured early Saturday when a hot-air balloon caught fire and crashed in the vicinity of the Pyramids of Teotihuacan, about 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Mexico’s capital.

Preliminary accounts indicate that the fire started in the passenger gondola as the balloon was descending.

The balloon apparently belonged to an unlicensed tour operator.

Witnesses said that they could hear the passengers crying out for help and reported seeing a young man leap out of the gondola.

Because the archaeological zone is under federal jurisdiction, military personnel joined Mexico state police and first responders at the scene.

Tour operators in Teotihuacan typically offer balloon rides that start before dawn, giving passengers the opportunity to see the sun rise over the nearly 2,000-year-old pyramids and the other surviving structures of what was once the largest city in the Americas. EFE jmrg/dr

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