Three hot air balloons crash in Turkey injuring at least 49 tourists

Danish tourist was killed in the same area last year when a hot-air balloon made a similar hard landing

Turkey's state-run news agency says 49 people, mostly foreign tourists, were hurt when three hot air balloons made hard landings in strong winds in central Turkey (AP)

Dozens of people, mostly foreign tourists, have been injured when three hot-air balloons made hard landings in strong winds in central Turkey, according to the country's state-run news agency.

The balloons were carrying mostly European and Chinese tourists for rides over Turkey's Cappadocia region when the winds suddenly picked up and forced some of them to make emergency landings, the Dogan news agency said.

Nine of the 49 people hurt in the incident were being treated for fractured bones while the rest had minor injuries and were quickly released from hospital, the news agency reported.

Cappadocia is known for its volcanic rock formations, underground cities and churches carved into mountainsides.

Last month, a Danish tourist was killed in Cappadocia when a hot-air balloon made a similar hard landing.

AP