Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) has indefinitely banned hot air balloon operations in the Serengeti National Park in the aftermath of a deadly mishap.

A privately-owned hot air balloon with 10 tourists on board crashed on Wednesday in the Serengeti National park, killing two of them and leaving eight others fighting for their lives on hospital beds.

The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya offers hot air balloon rides at sunrise as a way to view wildlife from above.

“We have suspended the hot air balloons in Serengeti National Park until further notice, pending for mishap investigation, which is underway,” TANAPA spokesperson, Mr. Pascal Shelutete said in Arusha.

Aviation experts from three high-profile agencies are currently in Serengeti investigating Wednesday's crash, but officials say that strong winds is the possible source behind the misfortune.

“Investigators drawn from Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority, TANAPA, and Serengeti Balloon Safaris are currently analyzing the circumstances of the hot air balloon crash to establish the exact cause,” Mr. Shelutete explained.

Serengeti Balloon Safaris said the fatal crash is the first of its kind to occur in 20 years of operation in Serengeti National Park.

Paul Janssen