Three people were injured after a hot air balloon lost control in strong winds and crashed onto residential buildings in Khujand on the evening of June 1.
The incident occurred near the Kamoli Khujandi Theater during celebrations marking International Children’s Day.
The balloon had been brought from Uzbekistan by the Faravon Group of Companies as part of the festive program intended to entertain visitors.
According to City Hospital No. 1 in Khujand, two people were hospitalized following the accident: 46-year-old Uzbek citizen Rustam Saidaliyev and 40-year-old Khujand resident Firouza Tursunova.
Hospital officials said Saidaliyev was inside the balloon during its ascent and fell after the chain securing the balloon broke.
The broken chain also struck Tursunova, who was standing nearby. She is currently receiving treatment in the hospital’s neurology department.
Sources told Asia-Plus that Tursunova’s daughter, estimated to be 10 or 11 years old, was also injured in the incident, although her injuries were minor.
The balloon eventually crashed onto the roofs of several houses on Aminjon Rasoulov Street. Residents whose properties were damaged said representatives of the Faravon Company promptly sent workers to repair the affected roofs.
Despite requests from Asia-Plus, officials provided limited information about the circumstances of the accident. The Khujand branch of the Committee for Emergency Situations stated that the incident was being treated as an accident rather than an emergency situation.
Speaking to Asia-Plus by phone on June 2, Maqsoud Oripov, project manager of the Faravon Group of Companies, confirmed that the company had organized the event and brought the balloon from Uzbekistan. Artists from the neighboring country had also been invited to participate in the celebration.
According to Oripov, a concert scheduled for June 1 near the Kamoli Khujandi Theater was canceled following the incident. The event has been rescheduled for June 2 at 7:00 p.m.
Videos showing the balloon drifting out of control and crashing circulated widely on social media, drawing significant public attention and discussion.
