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| Briton 'killed in balloon crash' | Briton 'killed in balloon crash' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A British man has been killed and nine other tourists injured in a hot-air balloon crash during a trip in central Turkey, local media reports have said. | A British man has been killed and nine other tourists injured in a hot-air balloon crash during a trip in central Turkey, local media reports have said. |
| The balloon dropped 200 metres (660 ft) shortly after leaving Nevsehir province for a tour of the Cappadocia region, the Anatolia news agency reported. | The balloon dropped 200 metres (660 ft) shortly after leaving Nevsehir province for a tour of the Cappadocia region, the Anatolia news agency reported. |
| A 61-year-old man died and nine others suffered fractures, it said. The pilot is also believed to have been injured. | A 61-year-old man died and nine others suffered fractures, it said. The pilot is also believed to have been injured. |
| British consular officials are heading to the area to offer their support. | British consular officials are heading to the area to offer their support. |
| Local official Asim Hacimustafaoglu described how the balloon came down after colliding with another, several hundred feet above the ground on Friday morning. | |
| "The crash was apparently caused by a collision between two hot-air balloons seconds after their departure," he said. | "The crash was apparently caused by a collision between two hot-air balloons seconds after their departure," he said. |
| "One of the balloons crashed after one of the balloon's baskets hit another one. The crash occurred at an altitude of 50 metres." | "One of the balloons crashed after one of the balloon's baskets hit another one. The crash occurred at an altitude of 50 metres." |
| He said the accident had "saddened" everyone and the public prosecutor would be investigating the cause of the crash. | |
| 'Rapid descent' | 'Rapid descent' |
| Eyewitness Suat Ulusoy, a balloon pilot who works in the area, said he also understood the accident happened when one balloon flew above another and its basket ripped open the envelope, or fabric. | |
| He saw the damaged balloon "descend very fast", he said, and the pilot was unable to regain control before it hit the ground. | |
| Mr Ulusoy said up to 45 hot-air balloons took hundreds of tourists on flights in the region every day and it was the first time there had been a crash in the 20 years they had been running. | Mr Ulusoy said up to 45 hot-air balloons took hundreds of tourists on flights in the region every day and it was the first time there had been a crash in the 20 years they had been running. |
| Turkey's Cappadocia region is famed for its rock formations | Turkey's Cappadocia region is famed for its rock formations |
| Explore Worldwide, which organised the balloon trip, confirmed one passenger had died as a result of the crash and another was critically injured. Eight others were being treated at a private hospital, it said. | |
| A spokesman said representatives from the travel company were already assisting those hurt in the incident and more senior members were flying to the area. | |
| Managing director Ashley Toft said the company had suspended all ballooning in Turkey as a precaution in the wake of the crash. | |
| "This is a tragic accident and our immediate concerns are with our customers and their next of kin. | |
| "Where immediate next of kin wish to fly out, Explore will assist with flights and accommodation so they can be with their loved ones," he said. | |
| Popular destination | |
| A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman confirmed officials had received reports that a number of British nationals had been involved in a ballooning accident. | A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman confirmed officials had received reports that a number of British nationals had been involved in a ballooning accident. |
| "Consular officials are in contact with local authorities and are travelling to the area to provide consular assistance," she said. | "Consular officials are in contact with local authorities and are travelling to the area to provide consular assistance," she said. |
| A number of companies offer hot-air balloon rides above the Cappadocia region, which attracts tourists with its cone-shaped rock formations known as "fairy chimneys". | A number of companies offer hot-air balloon rides above the Cappadocia region, which attracts tourists with its cone-shaped rock formations known as "fairy chimneys". |
| The ancient name of Cappadocia is still widely used by the Turkish tourist industry to describe an area that covers a number of present-day provinces in the Central Anatolian region. | The ancient name of Cappadocia is still widely used by the Turkish tourist industry to describe an area that covers a number of present-day provinces in the Central Anatolian region. |
| The latest balloon crash follows another incident in Egypt in which two British women were injured. | The latest balloon crash follows another incident in Egypt in which two British women were injured. |
| Three Egyptian operators and 13 foreign tourists were also hurt when their balloon came down during a tour of the ancient city of Luxor last month. | Three Egyptian operators and 13 foreign tourists were also hurt when their balloon came down during a tour of the ancient city of Luxor last month. |
| A fortnight earlier seven tourists were injured in a similar crash in the country. | A fortnight earlier seven tourists were injured in a similar crash in the country. |
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