Tragic Hot Air Balloon Crash in Friesland: One Dead, Five Injured

De Hoeve, Friesland — August 14, 2025
A devastating accident unfolded Wednesday evening near the village of De Hoeve in Friesland when a large hot air balloon crash-landed, leaving one woman dead and five others injured.

The ill-fated flight began in Joure with 34 people on board, including a pilot and co-pilot. As the balloon descended around 9 p.m., a sudden and powerful gust of wind caused it to descend too rapidly. The balloon struck the ground with great force, causing the basket to bounce and several occupants to fall out.

Emergency services responded immediately, sending fourteen ambulances, air ambulances, fire crews, medical teams, and Red Cross personnel to the scene. The incident was declared a “Grip 1” emergency to centralize command and ensure swift coordination across agencies.

The victim was identified as a 66-year-old woman from the Opsterland region, who had been celebrating a colleague’s work anniversary when the tragedy occurred. Despite resuscitation efforts at the scene, she succumbed to her injuries.

Among the injured, three were reported to be in serious condition, while the remaining two sustained lesser injuries. All were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

“I can only imagine the panic with 34 people in a basket that suddenly hits the ground and starts bouncing,” said Jan Willem Zwart of the Veiligheidsregio Friesland (Friesland Safety Region)

The Royal Netherlands Aeronautical Association (KNVvL) has confirmed that the balloon is one of the largest currently operating in the country and was only recently put into service in 2023. The pilot, described as highly experienced, survived without physical injury. KNVvL also noted how exceedingly rare fatal hot air balloon accidents are—this marks the first such fatality in the Netherlands in 30 years

The Dutch Safety Board (Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid, OVV) has deployed investigators to the scene to collect perishable evidence and decide whether a full safety investigation should follow NL Times. Simultaneously, the aviation police have sealed off the site as part of the ongoing probe into the crash’s cause DutchNews.nlGlobal Banking | FinanceDutchReview.

This incident starkly underscores the inherent risks posed by unpredictable weather, even to large, modern balloons, and could prompt deeper scrutiny of operational safety measures and weather forecasting protocols within the ballooning industry.