A fifth person was in critical condition after the “tragic” crash, NBC News reported citing the Eloy police.
The balloon went down about 7:50 a.m. in the desert area of Sunshine Boulevard and Hannah Road, the police department said.
Eloy is about 50 miles northwest of Tucson and 65 miles southeast of Phoenix.
The passengers and the pilot were killed, the police department said. The balloon was also carrying eight skydivers who jumped from the balloon before there were any problems with the aircraft, it said.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, according to the department. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were on the scene and took over the investigation.
AMK/PR
