- Katie Bartrom, originally from Indiana, was identified by her family
- The 28-year-old was one of four killed in the accident, which left a fifth person seriously injured
- The balloon plummeted to the ground in a desert around five miles north of Eloy
Relatives of the victims of a hot air balloon crash in the Arizona desert confirmed that a 28-year-old registered nurse is among the dead.
Speaking to ABC15, Katie Bartrom’s family shared that she perished in Sunday morning’s crash that left four dead and one seriously injured.
Bartrom’s mother told the outlet that the young woman, who hailed from Indiana, loved skydiving and adventure.
Police say the aircraft crashed into the desert around five miles north of Eloy in Pinal County at around 7.50am.
Thirteen people – eight skydivers, four passengers and a pilot – had been in the balloon, according to the mayor of Eloy.
Katie Bartrom, 28, was identified as one of the four people killed in Sunday morning’s hot air balloon crash in the Arizona desert. Bartrom’s mother described the registered nurse as someone who loved ‘skydiving and adventure’
Thirteen people had been in the balloon, including eight skydivers, who reportedly exited the gondola moments before the crash
The aircraft plummeted to the ground around five miles north of Eloy in Pinal County
Before the crash, the skydivers reportedly exited the gondola.
One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other three died at a hospital. Another remains in critical condition at a Valley hospital.
Federal agencies including the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration continue to investigate, according to an Eloy Police Department press release.
NTSB officials said that preliminary findings show the balloon crashed following a problem with its envelope.