Memorial unveiled to mark fourth anniversary of Carterton balloon tragedy
A memorial to the victims of the 2012 balloon disaster is unveiled in Carterton.
A memorial to 11 lives lost has been unveiled on the fourth anniversary of the Carterton balloon crash.
A crowd of about 200 gathered on Thursday morning near the crash site down Somerset Rd to mark the tragedy which killed pilot Lance Hopping, 53, and his 10 passengers on January 7, 2012.
The passengers were Alexis Still, 19; Johannes Jordaan, 21; Belinda Harter, 49; Stephen Hopkirk, 50; Denise Dellabarca, 58; Valerie Bennett, 70; Ann Dean, 65; Desmond Dean, 70; Diana Cox, 63; and Howard Cox, 71.
Lower Hutt couple Stephen Hopkirk, 50, and Belinda Harter, 49, died in the hot air balloon tragedy in Carterton on January 7, 2012.
A coroner's inquest found the balloon crashed because of a significant error of judgment by Hopping when he tried to climb above a power line he was drifting towards. The manoeuvre caused the balloon to become stuck, catch fire, soar into the air, then plummet to the ground.
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Hopping's failure to pull an emergency "rip-out" line, which would have immediately deflated the balloon and probably prevented some, if not all, the deaths, could have also been due to his long-term cannabis use, the inquest found.
Merle Hopkirk finds her son Stephen Hopkirk's name on the memorial stone dedicated to the victims of the Carterton balloon tragedy.
Lower Hutt resident Merle Hopkirk was at the memorial unveiling holding a picture of her son Stephen, who died with partner Belinda Harter. It had been her son's 50th birthday, and his first balloon trip.
"I was waiting at home, and they were coming back after the balloon flight to have breakfast with us to share his birthday and it didn't happen," Hopkirk said.
"But we know how brave Stephen was at that time."
Hopkirk and other passengers tried to free the balloon from the power lines, fought flames that broke out, and helped two others jump from the basket.
His sister, Ruth McIntosh, wrote to Carterton District Council after a coroner's inquest to propose building a memorial site.
Coroner Peter Ryan made a list of recommended law changes to avoid further tragedy that included implementing mandatory random drug and alcohol testing of adventure aviation pilots by CAA or police.
McIntosh said family members had visited the area several times since the crash, and got to know some of the others affected by the tragedy.
A large limestone rock featuring a plaque engraved with the 11 names, along with seating, now sits beside the road on land donated by a neighbour.
Power poles that held the lines struck by the balloon stand nearby, looking out over a yellow tree that marks the spot where Alexis Still and Johannes "Chrisjan" Jordaan jumped to their deaths.
Two small trees planted nearby mark where the balloon went down and nine other lives were lost.
Inspector Brent Register, who helped investigate the crash, said it was important for people to have a place to sit and reflect now that the inquest was complete.
"The grief for them is very individual ... But the whole community was affected."
Their tragedy echoed throughout the region as some of the passengers had travelled to the area to make the most of a holiday period.
Carterton Mayor John Booth said the lives lost that day would not be forgotten. "This memorial stone is our way of showing love and support to you all."
- Stuff
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