Two Spanish tourists die in hot-air balloon accident in Turkey

Two Spanish tourists die in hot-air balloon accident in Turkey
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Two Spanish tourists died and three wounded in a hot-air balloon accident in tourism hotspot Cappadocia, due to unexpected wind during landing

Two Spanish tourists were killed and three were wounded in a hot-air balloon accident in Turkey's central tourism hotspot of Cappadocia on Tuesday.

The cause of the accident was an unexpected increase of the wind during landing, Nevsehir governor’s office said in a written statement. 

The balloon that took off from Nevsehir’s Avanos district made a hard landing due to the wind, the statement said.

“During the landing of the balloon, out of a total of 28 passengers and two crew members, two Spanish citizens lost their lives, while three Spanish citizens were injured," the governor’s office said. It also said that the injured passengers were being treated in hospitals and their health conditions are not life-threatening. 

Cappadocia is a popular tourist destination in central Turkey known for its rock formation and rock-carved churches. Hot-air balloon rides are one of the most popular activities in the region, where they fly over valleys and volcanic "fairy chimney" formations.