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| Egyptian hot air balloon flights cancelled as crash investigation begins | Egyptian hot air balloon flights cancelled as crash investigation begins |
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| Investigations are being carried out to try to determine the cause of a hot air balloon crash in Egypt that killed 19 tourists, including two Britons and a UK resident. | Investigations are being carried out to try to determine the cause of a hot air balloon crash in Egypt that killed 19 tourists, including two Britons and a UK resident. |
| The crash in Luxor (video) raised questions about safety standards and all flights have been suspended while the investigation takes place. There are fears for the future of Egypt's ballooning industry, despite its popularity with tourists. | The crash in Luxor (video) raised questions about safety standards and all flights have been suspended while the investigation takes place. There are fears for the future of Egypt's ballooning industry, despite its popularity with tourists. |
| Britons Yvonne Rennie, 48, Joe Bampton, 40, and Bampton's Hungarian-born partner, Suzanna Gyetvai, 34, died in the tragedy, in what appears to be the worst accident of its kind in history. | Britons Yvonne Rennie, 48, Joe Bampton, 40, and Bampton's Hungarian-born partner, Suzanna Gyetvai, 34, died in the tragedy, in what appears to be the worst accident of its kind in history. |
| Rennie's husband, Michael, 49, was being treated on Tuesday night at Luxor international hospital, where a spokeswoman said he was in a stable condition. He and the pilot, named locally as Momin Mourad Ali, were the only survivors. They, along with seven other passengers, including the other three other British-based tourists, are believed to have jumped out of the balloon to escape the flames. Ali suffered 70% burns and was also being treated in hospital in Luxor. | Rennie's husband, Michael, 49, was being treated on Tuesday night at Luxor international hospital, where a spokeswoman said he was in a stable condition. He and the pilot, named locally as Momin Mourad Ali, were the only survivors. They, along with seven other passengers, including the other three other British-based tourists, are believed to have jumped out of the balloon to escape the flames. Ali suffered 70% burns and was also being treated in hospital in Luxor. |
| The other tourists, nine from Hong Kong, four Japanese, two French and a Belgian, all died in the explosion. | |
| Bampton and Gyetvai were from Clapham, south London and both worked for Lots Road Auctions in Chelsea, west London. Brampton was an expert valuer in rugs, carpets and antiques and Gyetvai was a general valuer. Both were also artists, Gyetvai creating works in a variety of media under her professional name Zsi Chimera. | Bampton and Gyetvai were from Clapham, south London and both worked for Lots Road Auctions in Chelsea, west London. Brampton was an expert valuer in rugs, carpets and antiques and Gyetvai was a general valuer. Both were also artists, Gyetvai creating works in a variety of media under her professional name Zsi Chimera. |
| The Rennies, from Perth, Scotland, were described as "very nice people" who only spent the weekends together due to work commitments and so were looking forward to going on holiday together. Yvonne Rennie was a medical receptionist and her husband works in the building industry. | The Rennies, from Perth, Scotland, were described as "very nice people" who only spent the weekends together due to work commitments and so were looking forward to going on holiday together. Yvonne Rennie was a medical receptionist and her husband works in the building industry. |
| According to initial indications, the balloon was in the process of landing after 7am when a cable got caught around a helium tube and a fire broke out, according to an investigator with the state prosecutor's office. | According to initial indications, the balloon was in the process of landing after 7am when a cable got caught around a helium tube and a fire broke out, according to an investigator with the state prosecutor's office. |
| The balloon then ascended rapidly, the fire detonated a gas canister and the balloon plunged about 300 metres (1,000ft) to the ground, crashing in a sugar cane field outside al-Dhabaa village, west of Luxor. | |
| Local balloon operators fear the suspension of flights may lead to more permanent measures, crippling an industry on which locals say around 1,000 residents depend for their livelihoods. "We're worried about our business," said Alaa Mahmoud, sales manager for Magic Horizon, a balloon line once used by Melvyn Bragg, whose photograph is framed in Mahmoud's office. "We follow the rules and regulations, but over 1,000 people will starve if the balloon business in Egypt is stopped. If they stop the balloons, what are they going to do?" | |
| After two years of political unrest, tourism in Egypt is already floundering, down 22% since 2010, with revenue down by a quarter. | After two years of political unrest, tourism in Egypt is already floundering, down 22% since 2010, with revenue down by a quarter. |
| The head of the civil aviation administration, Mohammed Sherif, told Associated Press at the scene of the crash that the pilot had renewed his licence in January, which meant he would have been tested and the balloon checked. | |
| But an aviation official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial results of the investigation showed the pilot jumped out when the fire began, instead of shutting off valves that would have prevented the gas canister from exploding. | But an aviation official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial results of the investigation showed the pilot jumped out when the fire began, instead of shutting off valves that would have prevented the gas canister from exploding. |
| Mohammed Osman, head of the Luxor chamber of tourism, blamed civil aviation authorities, who are in charge of licensing and inspecting balloons, accusing them of negligence. | Mohammed Osman, head of the Luxor chamber of tourism, blamed civil aviation authorities, who are in charge of licensing and inspecting balloons, accusing them of negligence. |
| "I don't want to blame the revolution for everything, but the laxness started with the revolution," he said. "These people are not doing their job. They are not checking the balloons and they just issue the licences without inspection." Balloon trips in Luxor over the Valley of the Kings are popular with visitors but concerns have been raised about their safety in the wake of previous crashes. | |
| 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 that 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 that 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. |