Nine Hongkongers Killed In Hot Air Balloon Accident In Egypt
The tourists—four men and five women—were killed in the ancient city of Luxor in an explosion during a hot air balloon ride.
The victims aged from 33 to 62, and they had joined a tour from Kuoni Travel and arrived in Egypt on February 22. The hot air balloon crashed after an explosion which took place at 300 meters in the air, claiming the lives of 19 passengers. Besides the Hong Kong tourists, victims included visitors from Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and Hungary.
A witness told the BBC that the passengers jumped away from the balloon “about the height of a seven-story building.” Two people survived in the accident. It was alleged that the balloon hit a high pressure electrical cable, triggering the explosion of a gas cylinder.
Hot air balloon rides has been a popular activity for tourists in Luxor, as it allowed an aerial view of the famous sites, such as the temples and tombs of the pharaoh kings, including the Tutankhamun’s.
However, the safety of hot air balloon rides has been called into question. In 2009, 16 tourists were injured after a hot air balloon hit a communications tower near the West Bank of the Nile.
Following the accident, Luxor’s governor Ezzat Saad has enforced a ban on all hot air balloon rides with immediate effect, reported the Apple Daily today. Officials from the government, as well as three clinical psychologists, have been sent to the city to provide assistance.