A passenger hot-air balloon carrying 34 people crash-landed on Wednesday evening in a meadow near De Hoeve, in the northern Dutch province of Friesland. Local authorities said the balloon descended rapidly at around 9 p.m. and hit the ground hard, killing one person and injuring five others who were taken to hospital. Initial accounts from the Royal Netherlands Aeronautical Association indicate that a sudden gust of wind—recorded at up to 17 knots (about 31.5 km/h)—caused the balloon to accelerate just before touchdown, making the basket bounce and throwing several occupants out. The Dutch aviation police have opened an investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and whether safety protocols were followed.