British and Swiss tourists escaped with only minor injuries Saturday after their hot-air balloon fell to earth in the Upper Egyptian tourist city of Luxor. The tourists, including 17 Britons, two Swiss and five Egyptians, hired the balloon to observe the ancient Pharaonic city from above. However, the balloon, owned by a tourist company, fell to earth a few minutes after it took off. The tourists were saved from serious injuries by landing on soft agricultural land as opposed to the more mountainous terrain predominant in the region. It was not clear what caused the fall but security sources said an investigation into the cause of the accident was ongoing. The tourists, suffering only minor injuries, continued their tourist programme of the city.
