A hot air balloon crash in Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal, was captured on video on Friday, showing a tense moment as the balloon descended rapidly towards the road before hitting a tree and landing in an open field.
Story Summary:
- A hot air balloon crash near Camperdown Police Station was captured on camera.
- No injuries were reported, and the pilot safely navigated the balloon after it collided with trees.
Camperdown hot air balloon crash caught on camera
The pilot of Hot Air Ballooning SA Warwick Cook was at the helm during the incident.
Despite the alarming visuals, Cook maintained that the landing was controlled and part of the standard procedure in such conditions.
“We call it our AVS braking system,” he explained, referring to the use of trees to slow down the balloon’s descent.
Cook also mentioned that the balloon was carrying seven passengers, two of whom were celebrating their 70th birthdays.
ALS Paramedics confirmed that no injuries were reported from the incident, and the passengers had been well-prepared for the landing.
The birthday celebration was briefly interrupted but fortunately ended without harm, as the passengers had been briefed on safety measures beforehand.
Are hot air balloons safe?
While hot air ballooning is often considered a serene and scenic activity, incidents like the Camperdown crash raise concerns about the overall safety of this mode of air travel.
However, experts point out that hot air balloons are inherently designed for safety, with specific protocols in place for emergency landings.
In this case, the passengers were instructed to get to the bottom of the basket and hold onto the handles, a key part of the safety briefing.
Warwick Cook emphasised that the balloon’s landing process, although appearing sudden, followed procedures intended to protect passengers.
“The baskets of air balloons are built to be inherently safe,” he noted.
Although incidents involving hot air balloons can happen, they are rare, and experienced pilots are trained to manage such situations with minimal risk to passengers.
