An investigation into the accident, which left people living nearby without electricity, has been launched.

07:30, Tue, Mar 17, 2026 Updated: 08:08, Tue, Mar 17, 2026

Hot air balloon crash Mexico

Two British tourists have been injured in a hot air balloon crash in Mexico (Image: FACEBOOK)

Two British tourists have been injured in a hot air balloon crash in Mexico, with one said to be in a "critical" condition following the horror incident.

The crash is believed have occurred when the pilot lost control of the balloon after hitting power cables and ended up coming down on a football pitch. The accident happened just before 9am yesterday in the Teotihuacan Valley around 25 miles north-east of Mexico City. The two British tourists were treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to hospital. The female tourist is said to have suffered the worst injuries.

The company that took the two Brits out in the hot air balloon has been named by investigators as Happy Puerto. The pilot, named locally as Santiago Torres, was taken in for questioning by state prosecutors with one unconfirmed report saying he had been arrested.

An investigation into the accident, which left people living near to the football pitch without electricity, was ongoing this morning.

Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency said in a statement late yesterday: "The Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) reports that at 8.40am this morning, in the municipality of Teotihuacan, State of Mexico, an incident was reported involving a hot-air balloon coming into contact with power lines.

"Two people were travelling in the aircraft, registered as XA-OZY and operated by Happy Puerto, who suffered burns from an electric shock. They were transferred to Mexico City for treatment at a private hospital. The AFAC is launching an administrative investigation into the incident."

This is not an off case, In June, 2025, a hot air balloon caught fire and crashed in Praia Grande in southern Brazil, killing eight of the 21 people on board. #

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A similar tragedy occurred in April 2023 near the ancient site of Teotihuacan in Mexico, where a married couple, Jose Nolasco, 50, and Viridiana Becerril, 39, died and their 13‑year‑old daughter was injured when their balloon went up in flames.

Footage captured by a bystander showed the balloon deflating as the basket burned, with the onlooker heard saying, “My God, people are falling,” as someone plunged to the ground.