Hot Air Balloon Crash Kills 11 In New Zealand January 7, 2012: Three people grieve for their loved ones lost in a hot air balloon crash in Carterton, 95 miles north of the capital Wellington, New Zealand. WELLINGTON, New Zealand - All eleven people on board have been killed when a hot air balloon crashed near the rural town of Carterton, some 94 miles north of the capital, Wellington. Wairarapa District Health Board spokeswoman Jill Stringer says the 11 people died when the balloon came down near show grounds north of the township in rural Wairarapa county. Police have confirmed there were "multiple deaths" when the balloon crashed. Eyewitnesses told local media of seeing up to 32 feet of flames rising from the balloon's basket before it plummeted to the ground. Police say they have no details yet of what caused the early morning crash in clear, bright conditions with minimal wind. The region is well known for its hot air ballooning.