Germany: Hot air balloon crashes near Koblenz, killing pilot

One person died and two others were badly injured in a hot air balloon crash in western Germany’s Rhine region late Sunday.

Police said the balloon was carrying seven people when it got caught in a gust of wind during its landing approach south of Koblenz.

It hit the ground several times, throwing four passengers out. The wind then dragged the aircraft down a rugged slope towards the Rhine, where it got caught in some trees above a railway line near the town of St. Goar.

More than 100 rescue workers were involved in a complex operation to retrieve the remaining three passengers from the site.

Police said the pilot died of his injuries, while the others on board were taken to hospital — two of them in a serious condition. The balloon is expected to be recovered later in the week.

An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway. The Rhine region has been hit by a number of summer storms over the past several days.

Read more: Hot air balloon crashes into power lines in German city of Bottrop

• The Montgolfière — the world’s first hot air balloon

  Freely into the sky for the very first time

  For months Joseph Michel and Jacques Etienne Montgolfiere had been developing their flying object. They had already let it fly unmanned at their home in Annonay. The Montgolfier was a bag made of linen, covered inside with paper. In September 1783 there was an “anchored” manned experiment in Versailles. On 21 November the balloon flew manned and completely free for the first time near Paris.

• The Montgolfière — the world’s first hot air balloon

  A colorful spectacle — just like the first day

  From that point on, people saw the heavens with different eyes. It was something new, seeing the earth from above. To this day, balloon aviation has not lost any of its fascination. And the balloons are still colorful — just as they were the day Montgolfière took flight near Paris.

• The Montgolfière — the world’s first hot air balloon

  Airplanes prevail against airships

  The idea of traveling with a vehicle that was lighter than air was developed further with the Zeppelin a full 150 years after the Mongolfier brothers. Unlike the hot air balloon, it was filled with light gas. These airships, however, were not able to assert themselves against the aircraft technology developed at the same time. Airplanes were faster, more agile and more efficient.

• The Montgolfière — the world’s first hot air balloon

  Helium rather than Hydrogen

  Zeppelins were initially filled with hydrogen. The gas is simple and inexpensive to produce, but it’s unfortunately highly explosive. In 1937, the airship Hindenburg exploded in Lakehurst, USA. The accident ended the great era of zeppelins — for a long time.

• The Montgolfière — the world’s first hot air balloon

  Of limited use to the military

  Zeppelins, or blimps, were only used to a very limited extent afterwards. Here, the British Air Force installs blimps as obstacles against German planes in the Second World War. US forces used blimps over the Pacific to search for enemy submarines.

• The Montgolfière — the world’s first hot air balloon

  If you have no other option — use a hot air balloon

  In the second half of the 20th century, hot air balloons and gas balloons were used almost exclusively for recreation. People traveled by plane, car or train. Exceptions were gas-filled weather balloons, which sent measuring instruments high into the stratosphere. That said, some people had no choice: Two married couples with four children fled the communist GDR in this hot air balloon in 1979.

• The Montgolfière — the world’s first hot air balloon

  Adventurers in search of the extreme

  Others were less desperate, such as the British entrepreneur and adventurer Richard Branson. He set more and more records with his hot air balloon. Here he can be seen crossing the Himalayas in 1998.

• The Montgolfière — the world’s first hot air balloon

  Revival in the 21st century

  Ever since the new millenium we’ve been treated to more zeppelins in our skies. Most are used by tourists, others for special technical tasks and research. The idea of building a zeppelin as a heavy-duty transporter, however, failed. Physics didn’t play along. This airship hall in Brandenburg has since been converted into a tropical amusement park and swimming pool.

• The Montgolfière — the world’s first hot air balloon

  Long-duration missions rather than cargo

  Here’s a project that was feasible, though: a special zeppelin larger than the largest passenger aircraft. It is able to stay in the air, manned, for up to five days. It can act as an observation and communications platform — for example, during missions following natural disasters.

• The Montgolfière — the world’s first hot air balloon

  It’s all about quiet and beauty

  For most people, however, ballooning does not have to serve a practical purpose. It is also quite alright to just enjoy the view and the tranquillity high up in the air. As the air carries the balloon away, the pilot and passengers will feel will practically no wind at all.

  Author: Fabian Schmidt

nm/aw (AFP, dpa)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-hot-air-balloon-crashes-near-koblenz-killing-pilot/a-54591549?maca=en-rss-en-ger-1023-xml-atom