The Civil Aviation Agency issued a statement regarding the hot-air balloon crash incident near the village of Asureti on February 7.

“The Cameron Balloons Z-315 hot air balloon, flying from Poti to Vashlovani National Park, was involved in the incident. There were three people on board.

The relevant agency approved the flight plan, and the balloon, manufactured in Great Britain in 2022 and registered as 4L-BAV in the State Register of Civil Aircraft of Georgia the same year, was operated by certified pilots by the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency and the Aviation Authority of Poland.

The Civil Aviation Agency had conducted all necessary checks on the balloon.

The Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau are currently investigating the accident, and, at this stage, the Civil Aviation Agency is not authorized to disclose further details,” the statement reads.

The agency expresses its condolences to the families of the victims and conveys its sorrow over the incident.

The controlled hot-air balloon hit a high-voltage power line in Asureti village of Tetritskaro municipality on February 7. Three people died as a result of the accident.