Popular excursion programs in Luxor, Egypt, are again under threat: the authorities have urgently closed hot air balloon flights after another incident in which two tourists were injured.
According to available information, the balloon had a hard landing after a mid-air collision. In total, there were 28 tourists on the balloon who paid for a tour over Luxor. These are quite popular excursions and there was more than one ball in the sky. Luxor, as a reminder, ranks second in the world in terms of the popularity of hot air balloon tours.
For reasons still unclear, the balloon deviated from its course and collided with another balloon. At the same time, the aircraft was at a height of about 60 meters – this is approximately an 18-story building.
As a result of the accident, the balloon burst, and the ball began to quickly descend to the ground. During the hard landing, two tourists suffered minor injuries: they were scared to death, but most importantly, they remained alive. It is also clarified that there were no Ukrainians on board the injured balloon.
However, while the incident is being investigated, the authorities have banned the release of bullets. We will remind you that there have been more tragic accidents with balloons in Luxor. The last one, which luckily was also without victims, happened in the summer of the dock-like year of 2019 – then a bullet with tourists was carried by a gust of wind into the mountains and a search and rescue operation had to be organized.
And in 2013, balloon flights were closed for several months after a terrible accident. Then Sinbad’s balloon burned and fell with the tourists. Only three of the 20 passengers survived, and one later died in hospital.