[NEW UPDATE] Egyptian Hot-air Balloonists not Well Trained
A hot air balloon crashed near the Egyptian town of Luxor today, killing 19 tourists who were aboard. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to the media. The official says there was a fire and an explosion and that the balloon then plunged from the sky and crashed into sugar cane fields west of Luxor.
By nasreenasir — 26 Feb 2013, 03:26 PM — Updated about 11 years ago
Egyptian hot-air balloonists mainly not well trained
One of the difficulties in Egypt is that there's no independent and objective assessment of pilot's ongoing skills.
guardian.co.uk
Their pilots have to do an annual test flight but they do it with someone from the Civil Aviation Authority present who has not necessarily got any expertise in balloon-specific flying.
guardian.co.uk
Pictures and Videos
Floral tributes have been laid at the site of the Luxor balloon crash, as investigations into the tragedy continue.
18 Asian, European tourists killed
Police and rescue officials check the wreckage of a hot air balloon that crashed in Luxor February 26, 2013.
Image via imgur.com
Police and rescue officials check the wreckage of a hot air balloon that crashed in Luxor February 26, 2013.
Image via imgur.comA pilot who witnessed a fatal hot air balloon crash near Luxor on Tuesday relives the moments he saw the accident happen.
guardian.co.uk
Eighteen Asian and European tourists died when a hot air balloon crashed.
thestar.com.my
"It was a huge bang. It was a frightening bang, even though it was several kilometres away from the hotel," she said by phone. "Some of my employees said that their homes were shaking."
thestar.com.my
2 Britons killed in hot air balloon crash near Luxor, Egypt that claimed 19 lives, health officials say.
breakingnews.comOf 19 killed in balloon crash 9 are Chinese citizens from Hong Kong, 4 Japanese, 2 British, 2 French and 2 remain unidentified.
breakingnews.com"There were 20 passengers aboard", said Ahmed Aboud, the spokesman.
guardian.co.uk
Up to 19 fatalities confirmed after hot-air balloon carrying several foreign nationals goes down near Luxor town.
aljazeera.comBalloon crash in Luxor
Photographer, Christopher Michel was on the balloon behind the one that exploded and provides this pictures from the scene before the incident.
Image via imgur.comThe incident comes as the government struggles to revive an economy hurt by a plunge in tourism and investment since the 2011 ouster of Hosni Mubarak.
The two survivors, including the balloon's pilot, have been taken to hospital
thestar.com.my
A spokesman for companies that operate balloon flights in the area told Reuters one tourist and the balloon pilot had survived the accident.
alarabiya.netThe accident happened over the west bank of the Nile river. Hot air ballooning at dawn is popular with tourists who go to Luxor to visit its pharaonic temples and the tombs of the Valley of the Kings.
reuters.com
An Egyptian security official says the casualties included French, British and other nationals.
sbs.com.auAn Associated Press reporter at the crash site says he counted eight bodies as they were put into body bags and taken away.
foxnews.comA fire and an explosion were heard before the balloon plunged onto fields west of Luxor, officials said.
The balloon which was carrying 20 passengers was flying at 300 metres (yards) over Qurna, in Luxor's West Bank, when it caught fire before exploding, the official said.
thestar.com.my
The city of Luxor
Immediately opposite, across the River Nile, lie the monuments, temples and tombs on the West Bank Necropolis, which include the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens.
The Luxor area of Upper Egypt was the Thebes of the ancient Egyptians. Today it is famous for its temples. Next to Cairo, this is the city holding the most impressive Pharaonic monuments.
roadtoegypt.comLuxor has often been called the world's greatest open air museum, as indeed it is and much more.
touregypt.net