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Egypt balloon crash kills Britons, say officials Egypt balloon crash kills tourists
(35 minutes later)
A number of Britons are among 19 tourists killed in a hot air balloon crash near the Egyptian city of Luxor, officials have said. Nineteen tourists, including a number of Britons, have been killed in a hot air balloon crash near the Egyptian city of Luxor, officials say.
The balloon is believed to have caught fire and exploded on Tuesday morning before plunging into a sugar cane field west of Luxor, which is 320 miles (510km) south of the capital, Cairo.The balloon is believed to have caught fire and exploded on Tuesday morning before plunging into a sugar cane field west of Luxor, which is 320 miles (510km) south of the capital, Cairo.
The casualties were believed to include British and French tourists, as well as other nationalities, said a security official in the country. NBC News quoted a health official in Luxor saying that the victims included nine people from Hong Kong, four from Japan, two from the UK, two from France and two others who have not been identified.
Ahmed Aboud, a spokesman for companies that operate balloon flights in the area, told the Reuters news agency that one tourist and the balloon pilot had survived the accident, which happened after a gas explosion at 300 metres (1,000ft) above the ground. He said the tourists were from a variety of countries but did not immediately have information on their nationalities. A spokesman for the British foreign office said: "We are aware of reports of a balloon crash in Luxor and are making urgent inquiries."
"There were 20 passengers aboard. An explosion happened and 19 passengers died. One tourist and the pilot survived," he said by telephone. Aboud said he was the representative of eight companies that operate balloons in Luxor. Ahmed Aboud, a spokesman for companies that operate balloon flights in the area, told the Reuters news agency that one tourist and the balloon pilot had survived the accident, which happened after a gas explosion at 300 metres (1,000ft) above the ground.
"There were 20 passengers aboard. An explosion happened and 19 passengers died. One tourist and the pilot survived," he said by telephone.
An Associated Press reporter at the crash site said he saw eight bodies being put into body bags and taken away.
Aboud said he represented eight balloon operation companies in Luxor. The city, which lies on the banks of the Nile river and stands on the site of the ancient city of Thebes, is a major destination for tourists visiting its many remains and monuments.
Balloon trips, usually at sunrise over the Karnak and Luxor temples as well as the Valley of the Kings, are popular with visitors.
In April 2009 16 people were hurt, including two British women, when a balloon crashed during a tour of Luxor. The balloon was believed to have hit a mobile phone transmission tower near the banks of the Nile.