Up to 16 feared dead in Texas hot air balloon crash

LOCKHART, United States (AFP) – Up to 16 people are feared dead in what is believed to be one of the deadliest hot air balloon accidents in history, after a fiery crash in central Texas field Saturday, officials said.

The accident took place shortly after 7:40 a.m. (1240 GMT), when the balloon crashed outside of Lockhart, around 30 miles (50 kilometers) south of Austin, Lynn Lunsford of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.

"It does not appear at this time that there were any survivors of the crash," the Caldwell County sheriff's office said.

"When the Emergency Responders and the Sheriff's Office arrived on the scene, it was apparent that the reported fire was the basket portion of a hot air balloon," it added in a statement posted on Twitter.

Margaret Wylie, who witnessed the crash, told broadcaster TWC News Austin that she first heard a "woosh" then popping before seeing the flames.

"I didn't see the balloon hit. I just heard the popping. And I heard the popping, and then the next thing I knew is the fireball went up," she said.

FAA investigators were on their way to the site, Lunsford said, with the National Transportation Safety Board taking charge of the probe.

NTSB lead investigator Erik Grosof did not confirm the number of deaths or injuries, telling reporters only that "right now we have a number of fatalities."

The FBI's evidence response team in San Antonio has been asked to assist in the investigation of the crash, the cause of which was still undetermined, he said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott offered condolences to those affected by the crash.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, as well as the Lockhart community," he said in a statement.