Three dead after small plane hit hot air balloon and crashed into flats
The ultralight aircraft sparked a fire after hitting the roof of the building in the town of Wesel, roughly 35 miles north of Dusseldorf, on Saturday afternoon.
A small plane is believed to have collided with a hot air balloon before crashing into an apartment block, killing three people and injuring a small child.
The ultralight aircraft sparked a fire after hitting the roof of the building in the town of Wesel, roughly 35 miles north of Dusseldorf, on Saturday afternoon.
Witnesses told local media that it struck the balloon shortly before the crash.
The aircraft was capable of carrying two people, but police said it was not yet clear how many people were on board.
The three people killed have not yet been identified.
Pictures taken at the scene show significant damage to the apartment block’s roof from the impact and subsequent fire.
Police chief Peter Reuters said emergency services were called shortly after 2.30pm local time.
He said: ‘Three deceased people were found in the attic of the apartment building. They are adults. A child was also slightly injured and shocked.
‘The microlight aircraft had taken off from the Marl airfield with two occupants and landed again in Wesel for a stopover.’
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