Nurse named as first victim of horror hot air balloon crash that killed four
A nurse has been identified as one of the first victims of a horror hot air balloon crash that tragically killed four in the desert.
Katie Bartrom, 28, who was originally from Indiana, died on Sunday after the aircraft crashed into the Arizona desert around five miles north of the city of Eloy at 7.50am. Eight skydivers were in the balloon, who had jumped before the incident, with five people remaining in the aircraft including a pilot and four others who were along for the ride.
One of the four victims died at the scene and three were rushed to hospital where they later died. The fifth victim was airlifted to a hospital in Phoenix and is in critical condition.
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Katie 'loved' skydiving, according to her devastated mum (ABC15)One of the victims is 28-year-old nurse Katie who, according to her devastated mum Jennifer Hubartt, loved skydiving and adventure. "It's kind of somber here at home. We're crying about her on and off and talking about her on and off still trying to make it real," said Hubartt. "She was a beautiful person, she recently became an RN and was making it on her own."
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Katie's mum said she had travelled from Indiana to Arizona with friends for the trip. "I talked to her while she was down there and she was really enjoying the experience and having fun and seeing a new place that she had never seen before."
The balloon plummeted to the ground (Fox10)According to a witness who saw the last seconds of the balloon's tragic descent, it was shapeless, deflated, and plummeting straight down. 'What we know at this point is the skydivers were able to exit the balloon without incident and completed their planned skydiving event, and then shortly thereafter something catastrophic happened with the balloon causing it to crash to the ground," Eloy Police Chief Byron Gwaltney said.
Investigators are looking into the horrific incident (Fox10)Police revealed the balloon had come from outside the city and the skydivers had intended to land at the Eloy Municipal Airport, just minutes from the accident scene. "The incident appeared to occur very quickly,'" Mr Gwaltney added, calling it 'an absolute tragedy' for the community. "
Tributes have been paid to the nurse (Facebook)"Out of respect for their privacy, the names of the victims are being withheld at this time pending notification of next of kin,' the Eloy Police Department said in a press release. "The Eloy Police Department extends its deepest condolences to the families and friends of those involved in this heartbreaking incident."
Shocking footage from the area shows the balloon crumpled up, with investigators at the scene taking away crucial bits of evidence. Federal agencies including the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration continue to look into the tragic incident. A NTSB spokesperson said preliminary information shows that the balloon crashed following an 'unspecified problem' with its envelope.
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