Texas hot air balloon crash claims 16 lives

Sixteen people are feared dead on Saturday after a hot air balloon caught fire and crashed in Central Texas, officials said.

Officials report there are no survivors.

Caldwell County Sheriff Daniel Law said in a statement that his office received a 911 call at 7:44 a.m. local time about a possible vehicle accident at a spot near Lockhart, Texas.

He said upon arrival at the scene emergency responders and deputies saw that the reported fire was the basket portion of a hot air balloon.

“The balloon was occupied and it does not appear at this time that there were any survivors of the crash,” the sheriff said. “Investigators are determining the number and the identities of victims at this time.”

The balloon had 16 people on board, officials said.

Lynn Lunsford with the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the accident happened when the hot air balloon caught fire and crashed into a pasture.

Lunsford said that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are going to the scene to investigate.

The land near the crash site is mostly farmland, with corn crops and grazing cattle, The Associated Press reported.

Texas Governor Greg Abbot called the crash a “heartbreaking tragedy.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, as well as the Lockhart community,” he said.

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