Two hurt in separate balloon crashes on the West Side

Matthew Reisen and Elise Kaplan, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·1 min read

Oct. 7—A woman and a juvenile were taken to the hospital after two separate hot air balloon crashes Friday morning on the West Side.

New Mexico State Police spokesman Mark Soriano said the injuries are minor.

He said the woman hurt her leg in a crash at Benton and Golf Course, near Westside, and a juvenile was injured in a "hard landing" in the bosque near Paseo del Norte.

Tom Garrity, a spokesman for the Balloon Fiesta, said there were some other hard landings around the city, as well.

Soriano said the crash near Rio Rancho involved two passengers, including the injured woman. He said the crash near Paseo del Norte had three passengers, including the juvenile.

At the scene in Rio Rancho, rescue personnel could be seen taking passengers to an ambulance.