At least 19 tourists were killed when a hot air balloon exploded and fell from the sky in southern Egypt, state-run media reported. A total of 21 people were in the balloon when it plummeted about 300 meters (almost 1,000 feet) in the city of Luxor, EGYNews said. Two people were hospitalized. A gas explosion caused the crash, EGYNews said. Balloon rides offering scenic aerial views of the Nile River are a popular tourist attraction in Luxor, about nine hours' drive southeast of Cairo. Passengers in the balloon included 19 foreign tourists: nine from Hong Kong, four from Japan, three from Britain, two from France and one from Hungary, officials said. An Egyptian pilot and another Egyptian were also on board, Luxor province spokesman Badawi al-Masri was quoted as saying by CNN.
