FRANKFURT | The pilot of a hot air balloon is dead and two occupants of the basket were seriously injured in an accident when the balloon landed on Saturday evening in western Germany, police said local.
The accident occurred near the municipality of Urbar, south of Koblenz, in the Rhineland-Palatinate region.
The blue-colored airship was flying with seven occupants on board before being hit by a gust on landing.
The basket then struck the field several times, throwing four people out of the basket.
Three other occupants remained stuck in the nacelle, including the pilot who died of his injuries and two other people injured and now out of danger, Koblenz police said.
The balloon was dragged down a hill facing the Rhine and then got caught in the trees.
The rescue operations required more than 100 people.
The Federal Aviation Office and the police have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.