What are the dangers of hot air balloons? After Turkey crash leaves one dead and 31 injured

Daily Record

16-06-2025

British Summertime is fast approaching and people across the country will be preparing for their much-anticipated summer holiday. There are a few vacation spots that are more popular than others, and Turkey is one of them.
More than 4.4 million Brits visited Turkey last year, according to travelgossip.co.uk, which was an increase of 16.6 per cent on 2023. There is much to explore in the historic country including palaces, mosques, and Grand Bazaars.
One tourist attraction that draws thousands of people in every year is hot air balloon rides. Taking to the skies is undoubtedly an awe-inspiring experience. But there are dangers associated with the dare-devilish activity.
Just this week, on Sunday, June 15, a packed holiday hotspot spiralled into chaos when one person died and another 31 were injured two separate hot air balloon crashes in Aksaray. The incident is now under investigation.
The city's Governor said the pilot died after his feet became tangled in the hot air balloon's rope, while local media outlets report that the balloons took off during suitable weather conditions, and were forced to touch down suddenly due to unexpected wind.
The incident and others like it have left people wondering, how safe are hot air balloons?
Firstly, although balloons can get caught in fast moving winds, experts at seattleballooning.com insist commercial hot air balloon pilots are trained to handle the situation safely, while passengers must listen to safety instructions.
Hot air balloons do not have landing gear like fixed wing aircraft and there are three types of landings in a hot air balloon, all of which are "safe and a normal part of ballooning".
Emergency landings only occur if powerline contact is imminent, there is a weather anomaly or a mechanical equipment failure. The biggest threat to hot air balloons are power lines, but incidents are "extremely rare".
Worried about in-flight equipment issues or emergencies in general? Those in the know maintain these are also "super rare," but in the case of significant failures to propulsion, all aircraft have what's called a glide ratio.
"Balloons have a very slow one as there is an opening at the bottom of the balloon envelope that turns the balloon into a parachute," they explained.
"In the rare case that both systems had an issue, the balloon would slowly float to the ground. The terminal velocity of a hot air balloon is slower than a WWII army parachute. It would be a hard landing, but you would be just fine."
Where injuries are concerned, those that occur during hot air ballooning are caused by poor decision-making, particularly in relation to weather conditions, say the pros.
"Pilots who choose to fly in marginal or poor weather conditions significantly increase the risk of accidents," the professionals said.
"If you are looking for the safest option you'll want to find paid hot air balloon rides in your area. It is crucial for passengers to select hot air balloon companies that prioritise safety.
"These companies typically have strict policies against flying in adverse weather conditions such as thunderstorms, poor visibility, or high winds.
"By choosing operators who are committed to safety and who make prudent decisions regarding weather and flight conditions, passengers can significantly reduce their risk of injury."
Figures back up the safety aspect, too. According to a 2024 data report by Gitnux, globally, there were less than 30 hot air balloon deaths between 2008 and 2022.
Saying that, there was an uptick in incidents between 2000 and 2011, as per a 2013 study, but experts believe the figures ebb and flow is down to regulations around commercial air balloon flying, and how stringent they are.
To make the adventure safer, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) introduced a new accreditation programme requiring pilots to be commercially certified for at least 18 months to carry more than four to six passengers.
They must get recertified to fly every two years and meet other qualifications, while hot air balloon pilots must hold medical certificates when flying paying passengers - the same that other commercial pilots hold.
Pilots must train for a greater number of hours than before for certification.
They also upped the number of training hours pilots would need for certification.
In short, while no mode of air travel comes with zero risk, statistically speaking, hot air balloons are very safe.
Hot air ballooning is the safest form of all air travel and are rarely involved in aviation crashes, according to the Aviation Accident Database put out by the FAA.
But hot air balloons should only fly in good weather and slow wind conditions.
Flying in good weather really helps to prevent aviation accidents.