Photosales
niJobfinder
niCarfinder
Home Delivery
Propertynews
Safety checks for hot air balloons
Thursday, 23 February 2012
The area where a hot air balloon crashed after it caught on fire north of Wellington, New Zealand (AP/Wairarapa Times, Lynda Feringa)
enlarge
New Zealand authorities are investigating the maintenance of all the country's hot air balloons following a fiery crash last month that killed 11 people.
The Civil Aviation Authority said it was urgently reviewing all 73 balloons registered in the country after accident investigators found problems with the maintenance of the balloon that crashed.
The pilot and the five couples on board the balloon died after it hit power lines on January 7 in a rural part of the country about 50 miles north east of Wellington.
Investigators said it appears a strength test and fuel system inspection were not done correctly on the balloon.
They have not yet determined whether the maintenance problems contributed to the crash.
- Text Size
Also in this section
- Egypt candidates woo middle ground
- Clinton: End Assad 'rule of murder'
- Rebel groups agree on Islamic state
- Another Eurovision disaster for UK
- Second body found in Indian river
