Nine hurt in horror Alps balloon crash as pilot tipped out & screaming passengers dragged miles before hitting trees

NINE people have been hurt in a hot air balloon crash after the pilot was thrown out and the passengers were dragged for miles before plunging into a forest. Emergency services raced to the scene of the accident in the hilly Bucklige Welt region near the Alps on Saturday morning. FacebookNine people have been hurt after a hot air balloon crashed in Austria[/caption] FacebookTwo seriously injured passengers were airlifted to hospital[/caption] FacebookThe pilot explained to the passengers in the sky how to make an emergency landing by phone[/caption] Four injured passengers were found in the rural town of Untereck – and the other five were found three miles away near Stang. According to Austria newspaper The Kurier, the crash happened as the balloon was about to land on a meadow. It’s understood the balloon came down too quickly, bounced off the ground and tipped four people – including the pilot and co-pilot – out of the basket. The four were dragged along for a few metres before the balloon shot up into the air again – still carrying five passengers. Read more world news VLAD'S CONTEMPT PM will call out Putin’s 'utter contempt' for national sovereignty at G20 THE ‘UNBREAKABLES’ Ukrainians celebrate Putin's Russian troops retreating from Kherson The pilot is said to have explained to the passengers in the sky how to make an emergency landing by phone. The balloon finally came down in a forest three miles away, with images showing the red and white aircraft shredded by the trees. Two seriously injured passengers – a 33-year-old and a 60-year-old – were airlifted to hospital. The cause of the crash currently remains unclear. Most read in News FAMILY AGONY Family heartbroken as 'adored' toddler, 2, dies in farm tragedy BRING THEM HOME Moment wives of Russian troops confront generals after 'massacre' NIGHTMARE CRASH Woman pedestrian killed as she's hit by lorry when 'BMW stopped on A-road' TRAPPED IN HELL Evil woman boasted about boozy 'girls' night' after letting 7 kids starve VLAD'S REVENGE Fears Russia 'deliberately destroyed' Kherson dam to unleash deadly flood JEREMY CLARKSON If Putin fired a nuke I'd stand in a field & embrace the light - here's why The public prosecutor’s office in Wiener Neustadt has reportedly launched an investigation into the hot air balloon company. A spokesman said he “did not want to speculate” on the cause. The Red Cross said four rescue vehicles were sent to the scene. Last year, five people died after a hot air balloon was blown into powerlines by a gust of wind in New Mexico in the US. In 2020, three people died and child was injured in Germany after a plane hit a hot air balloon and then crashed into an apartment block in the city of Wesel, north of Dusseldorf. And last month, two people died and three others were injured after a balloon made a crash landing in Turkey. Read More on The Sun FROZEN OUT I'm a mum of 3 - we've had no heating for 7 weeks after supplier's meter mistake ONE PUSH WONDER Drivers are AMAZED by 'magic' button that will defrost your car in seconds The Spanish victims were killed after the accident in the popular tourist spot of the central Cappadocia region. There were 28 tourists and two crew members on board when the balloon crashed after a tour of volcanic rock formations. FacebookThe Red Cross said four rescue vehicles were sent to the scene[/caption] FacebookThe public prosecutor’s office in Wiener Neustadt has reportedly launched an investigation[/caption]