Another witness told Fairfax News he was looking out of his window when he saw the balloon appear to hit a power cable. "The people were enjoying a nice ride and by the looks of it they clipped a power wire," he said.
"Then I heard the screams and looked out the window and heard it coming down. I was having my breakfast and I heard them. They sounded like screams of joy but they weren't. "It wasn't coming from a great deal of height. "I ran down the road to see if I could help but by that stage it was too late. it was just burned out. By the time the emergency services got there, there wasn't much of a chance." Two of the passengers are believed to have leaped from the burning basket and were found in a nearby paddock. Police say they were first alerted to the tragedy at 7:26 am (local time) and websites for ballooning companies in Carterton, about 150 kilometres north of Wellington, recommend early morning flights. Reporters at the scene said the crash site has been cordoned off and only emergency workers and the families of those on board the balloon are being allowed through.