Hot air balloon ride over North Yorkshire leaves passengers injured

One of the passengers sustained a “serious” injury to their neck.

The balloon had taken 14 passengers on a sightseeing flight over the city of York before the sole pilot found a landing field and started his descent.

Read more: Family left 'devastated' as police confirm name of woman, 77, who died in car crash

But with varying wind conditions the pilot soon realised he had not used enough “burns” to reduce his rate of descent, and that the balloon was going to land shot of his target field.

According to an Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report into the incident which was published on Thursday (February 9), the passengers were instructed to adopt a landing position with their heads and back against the padding of the basket before the balloon touched down.

On landing it bounced 20 to 30ft into the air before coming back down to rest in a wide ditch.

No damage was done to the balloon or basket itself although two passengers reported injuries.

Read next:

• Major fast food chain sets opening date for new North East branch in big update
• Investigation launched after body found in 'unexplained death' in North East town
• Pervert went to KFC to meet teenage girl for sex after sending sick picture

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here

The AAIB report said those who were injured possibly “did not maintain their briefed and demonstrated landing position”.

The incident happened in Deighton, North Yorkshire, at 5.30pm on September 13 last year but a report into the blunder was only published this week.

The balloon, which has registration G-ELMR, is owned by company Yorkshire Balloon Flights, and was only constructed in March 2022.