A hot air balloon crash in Arizona on Sunday left four people dead and one seriously injured, police said.
The tragic incident occurred around 7:50 a.m. in the desert area of Eloy, a small town of just over 15,000 people about 105 miles northwest of Phoenix, known as the “skydiving capital of the world.”
The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were leading the investigation.
The victim's identity was being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
It was not immediately clear if or how the victims knew each other.
The Eloy Police Department confirmed in an email that all those on board the balloon were adults, but would not provide further details pending the outcome of the investigation.
“The Eloy Police Department unfortunately confirms that four people have died and one person is in critical condition as a result of this incident,” the department said in a statement.
“Further information will be provided as it becomes available. We appreciate the community's support and understanding as we move through this tragic event.”
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Eloy is home to two parachute manufacturers, Firebird USA and Sun Pass Products, as well as Skydive Arizona, the world's largest skydiving drop zone, about eight miles from the balloon crash site.
An employee who answered the phone declined comment late Sunday afternoon.
This story is developing.
