SYDNEY, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were hurt and taken to hospital after a hot air balloon made an emergency landing in Australian state Victoria's Yarra Valley on Thursday morning, according to state ambulance services.

The victims, three men and four women aged between the 20s and 70s, sustained a range of neck, back, ankle and abdominal injuries and are in stable condition, Ambulance Victoria told Xinhua in a statement.

Paramedics were called to the scene at Dixons Creek, northeast of state capital Melbourne, just after 7:00 local time and attended to a total of 16 people, it said.

The balloon, which was carrying 15 people, including local and international passengers, as well as the pilot, flew for 45 minutes before "unusual and unanticipated" wind conditions forced it to make an emergency landing, trip operator Go Wild Ballooning said in a statement to Xinhua. The company conducts its balloon trips around the valley, Melbourne and other scenic areas.

The company "while proud of its long safety record, regrets the incident and is providing assistance and support to the passengers and their families," and it is "preparing to lodge the required report with the Air Transport Safety Bureau regarding the incident," it said.