A group of skydivers faced a devastating incident on Sunday morning when the hot air balloon they had just jumped from crash-landed in the Arizona desert, resulting in the loss of four lives and leaving another individual critically injured, according to local authorities.

The Arizona hot air balloon crash occurred at approximately 7:50 AM in Eloy, a city located about 65 miles south of Phoenix, as detailed in a news release from the local police department.

The crash unfolded in a desert area east of Sunshine Boulevard and Hanna Road, following the completion of a planned jump by eight skydivers and their fellow passengers, according to CNN.

Eloy Police Chief Byron Gwaltney, addressing the media at a press conference, revealed that a catastrophic event took place with the balloon after all the skydivers safely completed their jump.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), currently investigating the incident, indicated that preliminary information suggests the crash resulted from an unspecified problem with the balloon's envelope.

An eyewitness on the ground described the moments leading up to the crash, noting that the hot air balloon's material appeared to be straight up and down, and the impact was substantial.

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Rescue Efforts and Community Response

Firefighters responded swiftly to the crash scene, extracting victims from the wreckage, Arizona's Family reports.

Unfortunately, one person died at the scene, and four others were rushed to a hospital.

Three of them succumbed to their injuries, while the remaining individual is in critical condition at a Phoenix-area trauma center.

Eloy Mayor Micah Powell expressed the community's sorrow, emphasizing the unexpected nature of the incident during what should have been a routine Sunday morning activity for skydiving enthusiasts.

Authorities are yet to determine the intended flight plan of the hot air balloon or details about wind conditions at the time of the crash.

Gwaltney highlighted that the hot air balloon, carrying skydivers aiming to jump into the Eloy Municipal Airport, originated from outside Eloy.

He reassured the public that the skydiving community is generally safe and that incidents like this are exceptions rather than the rule.

Identifying the Victims and Investigating the Arizona Hot Air Balloon Crash

Eloy police identified the pilot as 37-year-old Cornelius Van Der Walt, a resident of Eloy originally from South Africa, per USA Today.

The three passengers who tragically lost their lives were Chayton Wiescholek, 28, of Union City, Michigan; Kaitlynn Bartrom, 28, of Andrews, Indiana; and Atahan Kiliccote, 24, of Cupertino, California.

Another person, a 23-year-old from Scottsdale, Arizona, sustained critical injuries.

The hot air balloon was operated by Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides, a company based in Eloy, with Van Der Walt being the founder.

The NTSB and FAA are actively investigating the crash, focusing on a Kubicek BB85Z hot air balloon, which hit the desert terrain due to an issue with the aircraft's envelope.

The balloon is rated to carry a pilot and 12-16 passengers, with no identified mechanical anomalies so far.

The NTSB mentioned that an electronic device containing relevant flight information and a video camera have been sent to their headquarters for further analysis.

They have also collected maintenance records for the balloon and information on Van Der Walt's flight experience, with a preliminary report expected in about one month.

The recent balloon crash is noted as the deadliest since 2021, when five individuals lost their lives in a balloon crash in Albuquerque.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been involved in investigating 30 balloon crashes in Arizona since the year 2000.

The last fatal Arizona hot air balloon crash in the state occurred in 2005, resulting in one fatality and 10 injuries after a hot air balloon crash in Marana.

As the community grapples with the aftermath, Mayor Powell summed up the sentiments, saying, "You don't wish this upon anybody, you know, in a sport like this, in a community like this."

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Scene of deadly hot air balloon crash in Eloy, Arizona - From FOX 10 Phoenix