Eight skydivers escape a ‘catastrophic’ hot air balloon disaster in Arizona that claims four lives and injures one.

Eight skydivers escape a “catastrophic” hot air balloon disaster in Arizona that claims four lives and injures one.

Eight skydivers escaped the tragedy that occurred in “an empty field in a desert area” of Eloy, a city in Pinal County around 65 miles southeast of Phoenix and 55 miles northeast of Tucson, according to Chief of the Eloy Police Department Byron Gwaltney.

Gwaltney stated that “something catastrophic occurred with the balloon, causing it to crash to the ground” just after the skydivers had successfully completed their jump from the balloon.

Eloy Mayor Micah Powell revealed at a news conference that the aircraft had eight skydivers, four passengers, and the operator aboard when it crashed.

Eloy Mayor Micah Powell revealed at a news conference that the aircraft had eight skydivers, four passengers, and the operator aboard when it crashed.

According to Powell, “the world’s largest drop zone” for skydivers is where the impact occurred.

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On Monday, the cause of the collision was not immediately determined.

On Monday, the cause of the collision was not immediately determined.

“But eyewitnesses stated that in the last several seconds of the impact that the material of the hot air balloon was just straight up and down and the impact was fairly large,” said Powell.

According to officials, one person died at the site and there were five individuals inside the gondola when it crashed. Powell claimed that after being brought to a hospital, three of the passengers passed away.

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According to police, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation and Safety Board, and the department are all still looking into the incident.

According to police, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation and Safety Board, and the department are all still looking into the incident.

“While we continue our efforts, we ask for your thoughts and support for the families and loved ones affected during this difficult time,” police released in a statement Sunday.

In a statement, the Eloy Police Department said that it “extends its deepest condolences to the families and friends of those involved in this heartbreaking incident.” The department was withholding the names of the victims until their next of kin was informed.