Balloon with tourists falls from a height of 80 meters in Egypt.
Egyptian authorities suspended hot air ballooning over the ancient city of Luxor after two tourists were slightly injured during a ride early Monday.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, a balloon carrying 28 tourists went off course but eventually landed. The two injured tourists were taken to hospital for treatment, she said.
The statement does not say how the injuries occurred or give details about the nationalities of the tourists. It said only that the balloon was at an altitude of 60 meters when it went off course.
The ministry said ballooning will not resume until an investigation is completed to determine the cause of Monday’s incident.
Abu Baker Ezzeldin, a spokesman for the firm that operates the Luxor balloon flights, said the balloon went off course due to a change in the direction and speed of the winds.
He said in televised commentary late Monday that the balloon collided with another before landing safely.
Footage shared online purportedly of the incident shows a balloon slowly descending in an open area. Rescuers are then seen helping the tourists out. A man’s voice is heard screaming for an ambulance.
Hot air balloons over Luxor, 510 kilometers south of Cairo, are popular for offering tourists spectacular views of the ancient temples.
However, balloon accidents are not uncommon. A hot air balloon crash near Luxor in 2013 killed 19 tourists, possibly the deadliest such accident in history.
In 2009, 16 tourists were injured when their balloon hit a cell tower. A year ago, seven tourists were injured in a similar incident.
