Two Catalan tourists die in hot air balloon crash in Turkey

Two Catalan tourists died in a hot air balloon crash in Cappadocia, Turkey on Tuesday, as was confirmed by the council of Lloret de Mar, a seaside town on the Costa Brava.

The two victims, 64 and 62 years old, were residents of the northern town and passed away after unexpected strong winds forced the balloon with 28 passengers –including 22 Catalans– and two cabin crew to make an emergency landing in Göreme, in central Turkey.

The hot air balloon took off at around 7:25am local time (6:25am CET) from Avanos, in central Turkey, and landed at around 8:50am (7:50am CET), according to the Nevşehir provincial government.

Three other passengers from the same group of travelers from Lloret de Mar were injured during the landing. The three injured women are hospitalized in different health centers in the region and, according to local authorities, their lives are not at risk. Yet, one of them is in serious condition in intensive care.

The Spanish consul traveled to the scene where an investigation to determine the cause of death is ongoing.

Catalan government prepared to assist with repatriations

The Catalan foreign minister, Meritxell Serret, has been in contact with Turkish and Spanish authorities, and the Catalan health and interior ministries are preparing to assist with repatriations if necessary.

In the afternoon, Serret said that they had "enabled psychological support" and offered aid in the repatriation of the victims, those hospitalized and the other travelers.

She also made clear her office was working in coordination with the Spanish and Turkish authorities. 

An email address has been launched in order to gather any requests for help after the incident: emergencies.exteriors@gencat.cat.

Lloret de Mar's council has set three days of mourning and flags will fly at half mast and at 8pm authorities will hold a minute of silence for the two victims.

Its mayor, Jaume Dulsat, said that it had been a "very tough" day for the municipality.

Local travel agency 'Tastets de món' had organized the trip with 21 women led by a representative for the company. 

Touristic attraction

Hot air balloons are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Cappadocia, allowing visitors to view the mountains from the sky.

Considered a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the area is one of the most visited by tourists in Turkey. 

Only in the first six months of 2022, 1.4 million tourists visited the area.