The accident, which occurred in the desert in Sharjah, led to the balloon occupants sustaining moderate to serious injuries; they were taken to Al Qassimi Hospital
Sharjah - The pilot, who sustained severe injuries, was taken by air ambulance to Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah.
Published: Tue 17 Jan 2017, 7:00 PM
Updated: Wed 18 Jan 2017, 6:44 PM
Five of the six tourists injured in the hot air balloon crash in Sharjah's Al Madam desert on Saturday have been discharged, the Sharjah Police said. The sixth tourist - the air balloon's pilot - is still receiving treatment and his condition is currently stable.
A report by the Sharjah Police General Directorate, said: "The Central Operations Room at Sharjah Police on Saturday morning received a call saying that a hot air balloon carrying a number of foreign tourists suddenly went down in Al Madam desert area in Sharjah.
"Anjad patrols and ambulances were rushed to the scene, where it turned out that the balloon, which belonged to Dubai-licensed company, resulted in the injury of its pilot, a Dutch man, and five passengers, including 4 Chinese women and a German man.
"The pilot, who sustained severe injuries, was taken by air ambulance to Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah, while the five passengers, whose injuries were minor, were taken by the National Ambulance to Al Dhaid Hospital, where they received the necessary treatment and were discharged on the same day."
Upon inspection of the balloon, it was found out that the pilot landed properly, touching the ground three times before finally settling down. However, the balloon soon turned on its side and was dragged 24 feet by a high wind that swept the area that morning. Initial investigations indicate that the pilot sustained fourth-degree burns from the balloon's flame when this happened.
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