- Footage has emerged of the moment a hot air balloon plummeted to the ground
- Passengers were told to brace for impact as it crashed minutes after taking off
- The basket of the balloon can been seen flipping over as it smashes into a bush
- Four people were taken to hospital, including a woman aged 80 with broken leg
Terrifying footage has emerged of the moment passengers inside a hot air balloon about to crash were told to brace themselves for impact.
The balloon with 15 people on board plummeted to the ground only minutes after taking off from Greta, in the New South Wales Hunter Valley on Saturday morning.
Separate video filmed from on the ground shows the balloon’s basket flipping over after being dragged along the ground and smashing into a bush.
Terrifying footage has emerged of the moment passengers inside a hot air balloon about to crash were told to brace themselves for impact (pictured)
The impact left four people injured, including an 80-year-old woman with a fractured leg and a 24-year-old woman with spinal injuries.
The pair were airlifted to John Hunter Hospital, and two other people were treated at Maitland Hospital for minor injuries before being released, Seven News reported.
‘We’re fine, we’re fine, we’re fine, we’re fine,’ a man can be heard repeating moments before the crash, as others yelled ‘brace!’
Paramedics said they were relieved more people were not hurt, and that there were no more serious injuries.
The balloon (pictured) with 15 people on board plummeted to the ground only minutes after taking off from Greta, in the New South Wales Hunter Valley on Saturday morning
Balloon Safaris said the crash was caused by a shift in wind speed that was quicker than expected in calm conditions during the dawn take-off, Nine News reported.
‘The pilot decided to land at the first available landing spot,’ a spokesman said on Saturday afternoon.
‘The balloon landed firmly and some injuries were sustained by passengers in the basket as a result.’
The Air Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the incident, and Balloon Safaris has been offering assistance and support to those on board and their families.
Last Sunday seven Australian tourists survived a fatal hot air balloon crash in Luxor, Egypt.
Separate video filmed from on the ground shows the balloon’s basket flipping over after being dragged along the ground and smashing into a bush (pictured)