At least 19 foreign tourists die in Egypt as hot air balloon crashes near Luxor

LUXOR, Egypt – An Egyptian security official says at least 19 foreign tourists are dead after their hot air balloon crashed near the famed ancient city of Luxor.

The casualties included French, British and other nationals.

The official says there was a fire and an explosion and that the balloon then plunged from the sky and crashed into sugar cane fields west of Luxor, about 510 kilometres south of Cairo.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to the media.

An Associated Press reporter at the crash site says he counted eight bodies as they were put into body bags and taken away.

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