TETON VILLAGE, Wyo. — UPDATE August 5, 12 p.m.: The owner of a Wyoming sightseeing balloon company says a downdraft during a freak storm caused three hot air balloons to crash this week.
Original Story
Three hot air balloons went down south of Teton Village early Monday morning resulting in multiple injuries. According to authorities, one patient was flown to Idaho and others were brought by ambulance to St. John’s.
The incident occurred over an area between Teton Village and The Aspens. Two balloons are down in a field, while the other is reported to have crashed near an area with trees further south.
Along with the Teton County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS and National Park Service law enforcement were on the scene.
It is suspected that the weather played a role in the crash.
A dozen people were hospitalized after the hot air balloons crashed, according to officials. Three hot air balloons carrying a total of 36 people crashed into the ground on Monday morning, according to Jackson Hole Fire Chief Brady Hansen. Hansen said authorities received a call just after 8 a.m.
All three balloons are owned by the same company, Wyoming Balloon Co.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating the cause of the crashes.
The Teton County Sheriff’s Office, initially in charge of the investigation, had no further comment regarding the incident.
