Earlier this year, a tragic hot air balloon crash in the Arizona desert claimed the lives of four individuals. The pilot, Cornelius van der Walt, 37, was found to have elevated levels of ketamine in his system, indicating impairment. The medical examiner's report revealed that the amount of ketamine in his blood was enough to be considered impaired for driving, and he did not have a prescription for the drug.
The incident occurred on January 14 when the hot air balloon, carrying 13 adults, experienced an unspecified problem, leading to a crash in a desert area southeast of Phoenix. Eight skydivers had already jumped from the balloon before the issue arose, leaving Van der Walt and four others on board.
