Up and Away

A balloon had exploded, and its 21 passengers and operators plummeted about 1,000 feet to the ground. The number of dead had climbed to 19, making it the world's deadliest hot air balloon accident in at least 20 years. It was a gas explosion. Passengers in the balloon included 19 foreign tourists: nine from Hong Kong, four from Japan, three from Britain, and two from France and one from Hungary, officials said. An Egyptian pilot and another Egyptian also were on board. Two people, a Briton and the pilot, are hospitalized

Conflicting reports emerged about the company that operated the doomed balloon, Sky Cruise. The head of the country's civil aviation authority said the company was licensed and working legally. The agency has begun an investigation of the incident. The balloon's basket was divided into four parts, he said, each holding five passengers.

Meanwhile, Luxor's chamber of tourism said the company had previous violations. Several balloon companies had terminated contracts with the local meteorological service after the Egyptian revolution. Sky Cruise and other companies were known to violate safety and security instructions by flying out of East Luxor, instead of the recommended West Luxor. Luxor is among Egypt's top tourist draws. Visitors go to see ancient temples and tombs, and travel sites often recommend the hot air balloon trips.

The last hot air balloon accident in Luxor occurred in 2009, when 16 foreign tourists were injured after a balloon struck a cell phone transmission tower. Until Tuesday's incident, the deadliest accident in recent memory took place in 1989, when 13 people were killed as two hot air balloons collided in Australia.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/26/world/africa/egypt-balloon-deaths/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews