Veterinary assistant identified in fatal hot air balloon crash; Three seriously hurt
A 66-year-old woman from Opsterland in Friesland was killed in a hot air balloon accident in De Hoeve on Wednesday. She was an assistant at a veterinary clinic in Gorredijk and was out with four colleagues and a former colleague to celebrate one of their 40th anniversaries at the practice, a spokesperson told AD.
The practice, Dierenartsencombinatie, is devastated, the spokesperson said. The hot air balloon ride was a gift from the organization to celebrate the colleague’s anniversary. “This is a huge blow to us,” the spokesperson said. “It hit us like a ton of bricks.”
Among the injured are two members of the group: an employee and a former employee. One of them, the one who received the balloon ride as an anniversary gift, was seriously injured, the veterinary practice confirmed to NOS.
The hot air balloon crashed in a meadow in De Hoeve around 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, likely due to a strong gust of wind. The basket, with 34 people inside, hit the ground hard and bounced several times. Multiple people fell out. Five were injured, three of whom are still in the hospital in serious condition, a spokesperson for Zeeland Veilig told the newspaper. The other two sustained more minor injuries.
“Mentally, everyone is injured. It was a huge shock,” the spokesperson said. The passengers who did not need hospital treatment were taken by bus to the launch site in Joure after the crash. The plan was for them to briefly discuss the traumatic event together, but everyone indicated that they would rather go home. Victim Support is available to those who need it on Thursday.
Hot air balloon accidents are rare, Monique Hoogeslag of the Royal Netherlands Aeronautical Association (KNVvL) said to the newspaper. This is the first fatal accident in 30 years. There have been several injuries. “But you have to weigh the number of accidents against the 8,000 balloon flights per year, with a total of 65,000 injuries,” Hoogeslag said.
The hot air balloon that crashed on Wednesday was the largest still in use in the Netherlands and was put into service in 2023. The pilot, who escaped the accident without physical injuries, was very experienced, Hoogeslag said. “This is a shock for everyone; we sympathize with all those involved.”
The police are investigating the accident. The Dutch Safety Board (OVV) also sent two investigators to the scene for a preliminary investigation. They are interviewing people and taking photos “of volatile information, so nothing is lost,” an OVV spokesperson told AD. Based on this preliminary investigation, the OVV will decide whether a substantive investigation needs to be launched to draw safety lessons.
