Two women embrace near the scene of the hot air balloon crash that killed 11 people. Credit:Getty Images A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman has confirmed no Australians were on board the balloon. "New Zealand authorities have stated the victims of the hot air balloon crash included the pilot and five couples from the greater Wellington area," the spokeswoman said. "The Australian high commission in Wellington is in close touch with New Zealand authorities pending formal identification of the victims." Smiles and waves from those on board the dawn holiday flight over the peaceful town turned to screams, as the balloon plunged to the ground in flames.

A police vehicle drives through the cordon heading to the accident site. Credit:Getty Images Two of the passengers leapt from the blazing balloon, while it was still well above the ground. One couple who died in the balloon accident received the ride as a Christmas gift from their children. Family and friends of the victims are in shock near the scene of the crash. Credit:Robert Kitchin A witness who lives on Somerset Road said she saw the balloon catch fire and ran to help.

"The two women, sisters, were on the ground in the car following the balloon with their parents in it. Friends and family members at the scene of the fatal hot air balloon crash in Carterton, New Zealand. Credit:Robert Kitchin/Fairfax NZ It was like a rocket coming down; it was just unbelievable "They saw it fall out of the sky." The husband of one of the women told the witness they'd bought the tickets as a gift.

"They were just crying. Inconsolable." The women said she heard screaming and a "commotion" outside, but thought it was excited people on the ground. "But it wasn't. They were screaming from the balloon." "We believe we know who the victims were," Wellington district commander Superintendent Mike Rusbatch said. A number of the bodies had been badly burnt. Carterton mayor Ron Mark visited the crash scene this morning.

"It's a shock. I have a deep sense of sadness for the victims and their families and those who witnessed it first hand - its quite a horrific thing.'' Some of those who had died would be well known to those in the local community, he said. Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee expressed his condolences to the bereaved families on behalf of the government. "We are deeply sorry to learn of this tragic accident and our hearts go out to those who are now mourning the loss of life," Mr Brownlee said. BASKET IN FLAMES

Several witnesses watched in horror as a sedate dawn flight went horribly wrong, with emergency services swiftly alerted. Apart from Erebus in 1979, it was the worst New Zealand air disaster since an NAC DC3 crashed into the Kaimai Range near Tauranga in 1963, when 23 died. Vineyard manager Bevan Lambess said those on board had no chance - the balloon was too high for them to safely jump. "From a distance I saw this basket, the side of it was in flames," he said. "It looked like something was holding it down and I thought it was ropes but it was actually power lines.

"The top of the power line was on top of the basket. I got to the corner and it must have released itself somehow and burned through the wires - it just went straight up in the air and obviously the whole thing just went up in flames. "I didn't sort of believe what I was seeing. I thought there was nothing they could do to get out of there - it was too high for them to jump. I thought for sure people were going to die. '' Neil Hickland and his wife Aurea, who live near the crash site, were having breakfast when they spotted the balloon out the window. "[Aurea] said to me: 'It’s pretty close to the power line.' "Then she said, 'Neil, the basket’s on fire.'

"So I rushed to the window and sure enough it was. All of a sudden the balloon and basket had shot straight up as if it had been given the full throttle. When it got up about 60 odd metres they were all screaming, you could hear them. "One jumped out and then another, they were just black figures falling, not on fire. The blaze was really going and then it drifted south and then came south-west. Then it came towards our house and it dropped at least 30 metres then went plonk straight down. "I went to call 111 but the power was off. "I just remember Aurea screaming and she said: 'They'll all be dead.'" A nurse who was one of the first on the scene risked her life trying to save the lives of the two who had tried to jump clear.

Jacqui O'Connor, 38, was at the Carterton Campground on holiday with her family when she saw the accident. Arriving at the scene, she dodged live power lines in a bid to see if anyone had survived the fiery tragedy. She said the balloon became "like a cartoon character" as it combusted and darted around the sky before crashing. "We saw the balloon going up and then dropping and then the basket bursting into flames, then kind of going up again," she said. "It was almost like a cartoon character, it was just combusting. Then it had this long thin tail of smoke out the back.

"It was like something off the Road Runner [cartoon], it was quite freaky."



Ms O'Connor, a nurse at Waitakere Hospital in west Auckland, and her nursing friend Annette jumped into a car and rushed to the scene.



"There was just ash on one side where the balloon was, and a good 100 metres away were two people."



A woman whose farm the two people who landed on was doing CPR, and there were live power lines strewn across the paddock.



Ms O'Connor heard a woman about her age make a phone call saying, "Mum and dad have been in a hot air balloon accident, they've hit power lines and they're dead."



The dead couple, believed to be from the Wairarapa, were aged in their 60s.



Police and emergency services were still at the scene. A disaster victim identification team is en route to the scene to start identifying the bodies.



Police have cordoned off both ends of Somerset Rd, with fire trucks and police cars at the site of the crash, around 300m up the road from State Highway 2.



David McKinlay described 10-metre flames bursting from the balloon before it smashed to the ground.



"I was watering the garden and heard a noise, the noise of the gas to raise the balloon. I looked over and I couldn't believe it - one side of the basket was on fire.



"It was just above the trees when I first saw it ... it looked like he tried to raise it a bit higher ... all of a sudden there was just 10 metres of flames.



"It was like a rocket coming down; it was just unbelievable." He likened it to a flaming rocket launching. TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY Lance Hopping was safety manager for Balloons over Wairarapa, event organiser Jonathan Hooker said. "He was very safety conscious," Mr Hooker said.

"It's obviously tragic for balloonists and balloons everywhere. It's a very tight knit community. All the balloonists know each other." Ron Mark said that "everyone knows everyone" in the town, and many people had lost friends. "At this stage we're aware some of them are local people, from the Wairarapa and we fully expect there will be people from outside the district, as it is the holiday period," Mr Mark said. "Whoever the people are they will be well known in the community, widely known and they will be personal friends." A large news media contingent has gathered at the edge of State Highway 2 but little of the accident is visible from the roadside.

Transport Accident Investigation Commission communications manager Peter Northcote said the commission had opened an inquiry into the crash. An investigation team has assembled. The commission conducts safety focused investigations with the aim of being able to explain the causes of an accident, so that lessons and recommendations can be drawn in order to help reduce the likelihood of a similar event in the future. The balloon flights leave at dawn to catch the calmer weather, and usually end with a champagne breakfast at the Wild Oats cafe. Power was cut to about 3800 customers following the accident.

Powerco Chief Executive Nigel Barbour said the company’s thoughts were with those affected by the accident. “We wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those who died in this morning’s tragedy,” he said. Supply was cut about 7.20am, after the balloon contacted overhead lines. It had since been restored to all but two customers. Loading Powerco and its lines partner Tenix made the line safe for emergency services and would remain in attendance to assist.

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