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| Egypt hot air balloon flight ends in tragedy near Luxor | Egypt hot air balloon flight ends in tragedy near Luxor |
| (30 days later) | |
| For Yvonne and Michael Rennie, two tourists from Perth, Scotland, it should have been the highlight of their holiday: a dawn balloon flight that swept them through the skies above the Egyptian city of Luxor. | For Yvonne and Michael Rennie, two tourists from Perth, Scotland, it should have been the highlight of their holiday: a dawn balloon flight that swept them through the skies above the Egyptian city of Luxor. |
| As they and 18 other tourists began their climb at sunrise on Tuesday, they would have seen in the distance the ancient temple of Karnak, in the foreground the Valley of the Kings, and, in the middle, the river Nile. | As they and 18 other tourists began their climb at sunrise on Tuesday, they would have seen in the distance the ancient temple of Karnak, in the foreground the Valley of the Kings, and, in the middle, the river Nile. |
| But the flight ended in tragedy for the couple. Yvonne Rennie was killed and Michael Rennie was seriously injured after the balloon caught fire and plunged from the sky and crashed into a sugarcane field near the small village of Adabiya. | But the flight ended in tragedy for the couple. Yvonne Rennie was killed and Michael Rennie was seriously injured after the balloon caught fire and plunged from the sky and crashed into a sugarcane field near the small village of Adabiya. |
| Another Briton, Joe Bampton, 40, and his Hungarian-born girlfriend Suzanna Gyetvai, 34, were among the 19 who died in the crash, in what appears to be the worst hot air balloon disaster on record. | Another Briton, Joe Bampton, 40, and his Hungarian-born girlfriend Suzanna Gyetvai, 34, were among the 19 who died in the crash, in what appears to be the worst hot air balloon disaster on record. |
| Chinese, French and Japanese nationals were reportedly among the casualties on the Sky Cruise flight, which normally costs between £70 and £100. | Chinese, French and Japanese nationals were reportedly among the casualties on the Sky Cruise flight, which normally costs between £70 and £100. |
| The pilot, named locally as Momin Mourad Ali, survived with 70% burns. One onlooker said he jumped from the basket with a single passenger. | The pilot, named locally as Momin Mourad Ali, survived with 70% burns. One onlooker said he jumped from the basket with a single passenger. |
| The tragedy dealt a new blow to Egypt's ailing tourism industry, which is already reeling after two years of political unrest that began with the ousting of Hosni Mubarak as president in 2011. Egypt's civil aviation minister, Wael el-Maadawi, suspended hot air balloon flights and flew to Luxor to lead the investigation into the crash. | The tragedy dealt a new blow to Egypt's ailing tourism industry, which is already reeling after two years of political unrest that began with the ousting of Hosni Mubarak as president in 2011. Egypt's civil aviation minister, Wael el-Maadawi, suspended hot air balloon flights and flew to Luxor to lead the investigation into the crash. |
| The Foreign Office confirmed that two British nationals and a British resident had been killed. | The Foreign Office confirmed that two British nationals and a British resident had been killed. |
| Peter Fankhauser, chief executive of Thomas Cook UK & Continental Europe, said: "What happened in Luxor this morning is a terrible tragedy and the thoughts of everyone in Thomas Cook are with our guests, their family and friends." | Peter Fankhauser, chief executive of Thomas Cook UK & Continental Europe, said: "What happened in Luxor this morning is a terrible tragedy and the thoughts of everyone in Thomas Cook are with our guests, their family and friends." |
| Around 15 balloons, each carrying around 20 tourists, make the journey down the western bank of the Nile every sunrise. | Around 15 balloons, each carrying around 20 tourists, make the journey down the western bank of the Nile every sunrise. |
| Mohamed Youssef, a pilot for Alaska, another balloon company, was about 100 metres from the crash when it happened, landing his own craft in a nearby field. It was around 7.30am, and the stricken balloon had nearly reached the ground – several metres from a cluster of houses – when it first caught fire, Youssef said. | Mohamed Youssef, a pilot for Alaska, another balloon company, was about 100 metres from the crash when it happened, landing his own craft in a nearby field. It was around 7.30am, and the stricken balloon had nearly reached the ground – several metres from a cluster of houses – when it first caught fire, Youssef said. |
| "The fire started from the middle of the balloon," he told the Guardian. One of the balloon's four gas tanks had sprung a leak, Youssef said, and the leaking gas caught fire. | "The fire started from the middle of the balloon," he told the Guardian. One of the balloon's four gas tanks had sprung a leak, Youssef said, and the leaking gas caught fire. |
| "The balloon was two or three metres from the ground. Then the fire started and after that the pilot jumped because the fire was on his body. Another guest also jumped from the basket," Youssef said. | "The balloon was two or three metres from the ground. Then the fire started and after that the pilot jumped because the fire was on his body. Another guest also jumped from the basket," Youssef said. |
| But as the fire got worse, Youssef said that hot air would have risen quickly into the top of the balloon, known to pilots as the envelope – which in turn apparently caused the balloon to shoot rapidly upwards to a height of around 1,200 feet. | But as the fire got worse, Youssef said that hot air would have risen quickly into the top of the balloon, known to pilots as the envelope – which in turn apparently caused the balloon to shoot rapidly upwards to a height of around 1,200 feet. |
| "It flew up so quick," said a 17-year-old villager, Mohamed Ahmed Femas Midou, who was watching from a field nearby. "Nobody had a chance to do anything." | "It flew up so quick," said a 17-year-old villager, Mohamed Ahmed Femas Midou, who was watching from a field nearby. "Nobody had a chance to do anything." |
| Youssef said: "When the balloon was at about 100 feet, I saw people jumping. I saw about five or six people jumping. To escape from the fire. Some of them died from [hitting] the floor, some of them from the fire." | Youssef said: "When the balloon was at about 100 feet, I saw people jumping. I saw about five or six people jumping. To escape from the fire. Some of them died from [hitting] the floor, some of them from the fire." |
| A farmer, Mahmoud Ramadan, said that one of the falling passengers brushed his shoulder as he fell to earth. "They fell higher than that building there," said Midou, pointing to a three-storey house nearby. | A farmer, Mahmoud Ramadan, said that one of the falling passengers brushed his shoulder as he fell to earth. "They fell higher than that building there," said Midou, pointing to a three-storey house nearby. |
| With around 10 passengers still on board, the burning vessel then drifted across a narrow dyke and towards another sugarcane nearby. | With around 10 passengers still on board, the burning vessel then drifted across a narrow dyke and towards another sugarcane nearby. |
| "Then the balloon started to come down, and crashed in the field," said Youssef. | "Then the balloon started to come down, and crashed in the field," said Youssef. |
| "After another 10 or 15 seconds, I heard an explosion from the other tank." | "After another 10 or 15 seconds, I heard an explosion from the other tank." |
| The explosion was heard in hotels several miles away, and created a fire so hot it was impossible to get near. | The explosion was heard in hotels several miles away, and created a fire so hot it was impossible to get near. |
| "The heat was so bad we had to run away. We couldn't come nearer than that palm tree, it was so hot," said Midou, pointing at a tree 100 metres from the burnt basket, the charred remains of which were removed by police 12 hours later. | "The heat was so bad we had to run away. We couldn't come nearer than that palm tree, it was so hot," said Midou, pointing at a tree 100 metres from the burnt basket, the charred remains of which were removed by police 12 hours later. |
| Ambulances arrived within 15 minutes, witnesses said, but were slowed by the potholes in the road which leads to the village. | Ambulances arrived within 15 minutes, witnesses said, but were slowed by the potholes in the road which leads to the village. |
| Victims were taken first to the Luxor International hospital, before, it is understood, Michael Rennie and the pilot were airlifted to a hospital in Cairo, 320 miles to the north along the river Nile. | Victims were taken first to the Luxor International hospital, before, it is understood, Michael Rennie and the pilot were airlifted to a hospital in Cairo, 320 miles to the north along the river Nile. |
| "I know the pilot, he's my friend," said Youssef. "He has some burns on his face and his arms. The doctor told us he has 70% burns. | "I know the pilot, he's my friend," said Youssef. "He has some burns on his face and his arms. The doctor told us he has 70% burns. |
| "I didn't speak to him but my father spoke to him in the [hospital] room. He said he had a headache, and has also a problem in his leg from when he jumped." | "I didn't speak to him but my father spoke to him in the [hospital] room. He said he had a headache, and has also a problem in his leg from when he jumped." |
| Luxor, which stands on the banks of the river Nile and on the site of the ancient city of Thebes, is a popular destination for tourists visiting its many remains and monuments. | Luxor, which stands on the banks of the river Nile and on the site of the ancient city of Thebes, is a popular destination for tourists visiting its many remains and monuments. |
| But tourism is down by 22% since 2010, and brings in 25% less revenue than it did that year. Luxor's hotels are currently about 25% full in what is supposed to be the peak of the winter season. | But tourism is down by 22% since 2010, and brings in 25% less revenue than it did that year. Luxor's hotels are currently about 25% full in what is supposed to be the peak of the winter season. |
| Balloon trips are popular with visitors but concerns have been raised previously about their safety. | Balloon trips are popular with visitors but concerns have been raised previously about their safety. |
| 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. | 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. |
| After the crash, early morning hot air balloon flights over the Valley of the Kings were suspended for six months while safety measures were tightened up. There were at least four other non-fatal crashes that year involving tourists, including three in one day, and there were also crashes in 2007 and 2008. | After the crash, early morning hot air balloon flights over the Valley of the Kings were suspended for six months while safety measures were tightened up. There were at least four other non-fatal crashes that year involving tourists, including three in one day, and there were also crashes in 2007 and 2008. |
| The crash happened less than a month after the Semiramis Hotel, a luxury hotel on the banks of the Nile in Cairo, was ransacked during protests against the government of the Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi. | The crash happened less than a month after the Semiramis Hotel, a luxury hotel on the banks of the Nile in Cairo, was ransacked during protests against the government of the Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi. |
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