Hot air balloons in Cappadocia flew with Turkish flags and posters in honor of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day.
In Cappadocia, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, hot air balloons, which allow tourists to admire the natural beauty of the region from the sky, were prepared for flights at sunrise.
Officials hung Turkish flags and posters on the baskets of balloons at the take-off area around the town of Göreme in Nevşehir and Çavuşin village.
A heart-shaped hot air balloon, designed and produced by a local company, had a banner with a photo of martyr Sgt. Ömer Halisdemir and the inscription "We haven't forgotten, we won't forget" attached to its basket.
Alper Çetin, the pilot of the heart-shaped balloon, told reporters that the memories of the events from eight years ago remain fresh in people's minds. He said: "We are flying for July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day. We are conducting this flight to commemorate our martyrs who lost their lives in the treacherous coup attempt and to ensure that the coup attempt is not forgotten."
The balloons floated over the valleys covered with fairy chimneys and natural rock formations for about an hour.
