Two pilots from Poland are hospitalized after their racing balloon crashed into a power line and caught on fire in Kaufman County Monday evening.
The crash happened at about 7:25 p.m. in the 4300 block of Farm-to-Market Road 741 in Crandall, about 30 minutes east of Downtown Dallas.
Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race officials confirmed with NBC 5 that Pjotr Halas and Krzystotf Zapart, from Swidnica, Poland, were the crash victims and part of Poland Team 1.
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According to the Crandall Police Department, one victim was airlifted to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, and the other was driven to the hospital by paramedics. Halas and Zapart were considered to be in stable condition at the time.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating the incident. Race organizers said they are monitoring the situation and are working with their crew and local officials.
The racer's goal in the Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race is to simply fly the furthest nonstop from the launch site. The international competition was created in 1906 and has launched from locations around the globe. The winning team brings the next race to their country. The balloons can be tracked live here.
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The FAA said Tuesday the NTSB is the lead agency in the ongoing investigation into the crash.
This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.
