Egypt balloon disaster that killed nine Hong Kong tourists blamed on human error
Criminal investigation into crash in Egypt that killed nine Hong Kong tourists blamed on gas leak from a pipe fitted by unqualified worker
Human error was to blame for the hot air balloon disaster in Egypt that killed nine Hongkongers in February, a criminal investigation has found.
A final report on the accident in Luxor concluded the fire in the balloon was caused by a gas leak from a pipe that was installed by an unqualified worker.
Luxor's top prosecutor, Mohamed Fahmi, said: "The pilot and the maintenance engineer did not make necessary technical checks before taking off."
He said the result supported the decision to detain the pilot and a worker of the Ministry of Civil Aviation stationed at the balloon port on charges of negligence and lack of precautions.
According to witnesses, fire broke out in the balloon when it was coming down to land. It rose into the air before exploding and crashing to the ground.
A total of 19 tourists died. The only survivors were the pilot and a Briton who jumped to safety.
Balloon flights - except for those of Sky Cruise, whose balloon crashed - resumed in Luxor in April after being suspended for two months. Alla Mahmoud, of Magic Horizon Balloons in Luxor, said pilot Momin Murad had paid bail money of 10,000 Egyptian pounds (HK$11,100) to the court, which would be refunded if he was innocent. The airport worker had paid 40,000 pounds.