19 tourists killed as balloon explodes at Egypt’s Luxor

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BALLOON TRAGEDY: This picture taken on July 29, 2008 shows a hot air balloon flying over ancient temple city of Luxor. A hot air balloon caught fire and exploded over Egypt’s ancient temple city of Luxor during a sunrise flight killing up to 19 tourists, including Asians and Europeans. — AFP photo

BALLOON TRAGEDY: This picture taken on July 29, 2008 shows a hot air balloon flying over ancient temple city of Luxor. A hot air balloon caught fire and exploded over Egypt’s ancient temple city of Luxor during a sunrise flight killing up to 19 tourists, including Asians and Europeans. — AFP photo

CAIRO: A hot air balloon caught fire and exploded over Egypt’s ancient temple city of Luxor during a sunrise flight yesterday, killing up to 19 tourists, including Asians and Europeans, sources said.

The balloon carrying 21 people was flying at 300 metres when it caught fire, a security official said.

An employee at the company operating the balloon, Sky Cruise, said the pilot and one tourist survived by jumping out of the basket before it plunged to the ground. Both have been taken to hospital.

There were contradictory reports over the death toll and the nationalities of those killed in the crash.

An Egyptian security official said 19 tourists had died including nine from Hong Kong, four from Japan, three Britons and two French tourists. The source did not indicate the nationality of the 19th victim.

The health ministry said 14 people had died, and four were missing. It said three people were injured in the crash, including two Britons and one Egyptian.

The Japanese embassy in Cairo said it was trying to confirm the reports that four Japanese nationals died in the accident.

The British foreign office could not immediately confirm if any Britons had died in the crash.

“We are aware of reports (that Britons might be among the casualties). We are making inquiries,” a foreign office spokesman said.

The French embassy was also trying to ascertain whether two French nationals had died in the crash, amid conflicting reports.

In Hong Kong, the general manager of a tour operator said nine Hong Kong people are feared dead. — AFP