A hot air balloon that crashed in the Hunter Valley, injuring nine, was packed up and removed before authorities arrived on the scene.

March 30, 2018

A triple zero call wasn’t made after a hot air balloon crashed in the NSW Hunter Valley injuring nine people, and it was subsequently packed up before authorities could inspect the scene.

Nine people aged between seven and 38 were taken to Cessnock Hospital with non-life threatening injuries ranging from suspected broken bones to spinal injuries following the Good Friday crash at Pokolbin.

NSW Police have questioned why the operators didn’t call emergency services and quickly packed up the balloon after it came down on McDonalds Road about 8.30am.

“I think it would be common sense to make that call if you have injured people on the ground,” Inspector Robert Post told reporters in the Hunter, adding the company was co-operating.

It’s thought the balloon may have hit a tree when landing. 

Asked if it should have been left where it was after it crashed, Insp Post said: “Some would argue yes.”  

Two of the nine injured passengers have been transferred to the John Hunter Hospital for specialised treatment.

AAP understands the flight – which had up to 24 people in the basket – was run by Balloon Safaris. Friday’s crash is thought to be the second in 2018 involving the business.

Another Balloon Safaris flight made a hard landing in January that left four people injured.

The company blamed a quicker-than-expected shift in wind speed for that incident near Cessnock.

A spokesman for a competing company in the Hunter Valley, Beyond Ballooning, told AAP it cancelled its flight on Friday morning due to “unsuitable flying conditions”.

The Bureau of Meteorology says there was fog and light winds in the Hunter at the time.

“It (the fog) would be quite widespread and quite deep … generally quite low visibility,” meteorologist Jordan Notara told AAP.

Local resident Nicole, who lives on McDonalds Road, told AAP she spotted the balloon in a paddock attached to the Hope Estate Winery after it landed.

“I thought, geez, this looks suspicious, it was half up and was right near the trees,” she said.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has been notified of the incident and police are investigating.

Balloon Safaris has been contacted for comment.