Hi all! Today’s blog post is a bit of a serious topic, but it’s one that I think is really important. A couple of weeks ago, there was a hot air balloon accident at Teotihuacan — which left 12 people with (thankfully!) non-life-threatening injuries. Flying in a Teotihuacan hot air balloon outside Mexico City is one of my favorite travel experiences I’ve ever done, but I feel it’s important to stay transparent about accidents that can happen when it comes to the topics I write about on here.
Over the last three years, there have been three experiences I’ve written about which have required updates for full transparency about accidents: the hot air balloons at Teotihuacan, and the cable cars/teleféricos in Medellin and Quito. While I made the updates to the individual posts at the time of the incidents, I wanted to mention them here as well. So… here’s the full scoop on each of the three situations.
Mexico City, Mexico: Teotihuacan Hot Air Balloon Crash
My Visit: May 2022
Like I said, flying in a hot air balloon over Teotihuacan was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done while traveling! Even though we had to be picked up in Mexico City at 5:30 a.m. to make it out to the pyramids before sunrise (and I am NOT a morning person at all), the whole day was so exciting. From being at the “globopuerto” and seeing all the hot air balloons inflating around us, to being in the air, surrounded by so many others, to the delicious breakfast buffet afterwards and entrance to the archaeological zone — everything about the day was perfectly planned by the company we used for our tour, Flying Pictures.
Incident: May 2025
In April 2023, there was a major hot air balloon accident at Teotihuacan, and unfortunately two passengers were killed. While I also updated my blog post to share that information with my readers, it didn’t seem to be a situation that most tourists would have found themselves in. Rather than being a legitimate hot air balloon company, it was an under-the-table type operation provided by a drive-in movie theater that would likely not be something bookable by tourists.
But on May 23, 2025, a tourist hot air balloon flight was impacted by an “air pocket” in the sky, causing the balloon to crash. The 12 passengers on board were taken to the hospital for minor injuries. Through reading some Mexican news articles, I found out that the company operating the flight was called Sky Balloons. (However, I have not been able to find a single article in English naming the company, nor any acknowledgement from the Sky Balloons website/social media.) Sky Balloons seemed to be a reputable company — with 4.8 stars from nearly 4,500 reviews on Google.
Considering that there are 24 companies offering hot air balloon flights at Teotihuacan, Mexican sources are reporting that there have been 18 visits by inspectors to the hot air balloon providers, and it turns out that some did not hold the correct Civil Protection certificate. I am guessing that all companies still offering flights are under intense scrutiny at the moment. You know how they say that air travel is always safest right after a plane crash? I’m hoping that’s true in this case, too.
Medellín, Colombia: MetroCable Crash
My Visit: February 2022
Matt and I spent a weekend in Medellín, Colombia, and taking the Medellín MetroCables was high on our list of things to do. At the time, I’d never heard of metrocables actually being used for public transportation instead of just being a “fun” way to travel. And while we didn’t actually need to use it to get around, we wanted to take the opportunity to try it out. We took Line K/Line L, which got us to our final destination of Parque Arví. It was a really long trip once we were on Line L — nearly 20 minutes each way! But it was pretty cool to be up above the neighborhoods of Comuna 1 and 2, and then to be surrounded by nature.
Incident: June 2024
On June 26, 2024, one person was killed and 20 were injured as a Medellín MetroCable car fell and landed on the street below. At the time I updated my article, it was unknown whether the person killed was a passenger in the cable car or a bystander. However, it’s now apparent that the person who sadly died was a passenger. The accident happened on one of the same lines that we took two years before, Line K.
In the aftermath of the crash, Line K was shut down temporarily while the entire MetroCable system went under investigation/review. In addition to inspecting all control systems, brakes, motors, bearings, axles, hoses, pulleys, sensors, clamps and main cables, an external French firm was brought in to serve as an independent certifying company. After three weeks, the review and safety certification was complete — and the Medellín MetroCables fully re-opened.
Quito, Ecuador: Teleférico Technical Failure
My Visit: January 2022
During our two-month stay in Quito, Ecuador, we tried to take advantage of every single weekend — whether it was a day trip to Mindo Cloud Forest, or staying local and taking the “TelefériQo” up the side of Pinchincha Volcano. Quito’s teleférico is one of the highest in the world, considering that Quito is the world’s second-highest capital, only behind La Paz, Bolivia. When you board the cable car, you’re starting at 10,226 ft (3,117 meters) and ascending to 12,943 ft (3,945 meters). We had a great day exploring the volcano, the “Swing in the Clouds,” and even doing a short horseback ride through a valley!
Incident: July 2023
On July 6, 2023, dozens of teleférico passengers were stranded for hours as the system suffered a mechanical failure. There were 27 people stuck inside the cable cars themselves, while an additional 47 people were stuck on top of the volcano with no way to get back down. (Thankfully, when you board the Quito teleférico, they ask for a form of ID in order to track who is on the mountain at any given time!) While no one was injured, it’s still not a situation I’d like to find myself in. 😬
After everyone was rescued, the teleférico shut down temporarily. Ecuadorian news sources reported that it would not reopen until they were sure it was safe — and they made an investment of more than $250,000 USD to improve the system overall. So finally, more than two months later, the new-and-improved teleférico opened to the public once again. And of course, I made sure to update my post with the most current information on the situation at the time.
Final Thoughts on Travel Safety
These are my feelings when it comes to travel safety: As travelers, we have to decide for ourselves what risks we’re comfortable taking. While bad things can happen, the same is true every time we get into a car (or even an airplane!). Remember to always be smart, do your research, and don’t do anything that makes you feel unsafe. And I’ll always try to do my best to keep my posts updated with information about any incidents. 🫶
What do you think? Would you move forward with any of these experiences, or would you say “not for me”? Let me know in the comments!
-Cathy
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