After two visitors were injured while riding in hot air balloons over the ancient city of Luxor on Monday morning, the Egyptian authorities decided to halt allowing anyone to ride in the balloons.
A hot air balloon carrying 28 visitors veered off course but safely landed in the end, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. According to the report, the two wounded visitors were sent to a hospital for treatment.
In the announcement, neither the manner in which the injuries were sustained nor any specifics on the visitors’ countries of origin were provided. The only information provided was that the balloon had reached an elevation of 60 meters (197 feet) at the time when it deviated off track.
The ministry said that all ballooning activities will be put on hold until an inquiry into the events of Monday is carried out.
According to Abu Baker Ezzeldin, a representative for the company that operates Luxor balloon rides, the balloon veered from its intended path as a result of a shift in both the direction and speed of the winds.
Late on Monday night, he said on television that the balloon had a minor collision with another balloon before safely landing.
A video that was allegedly taken during the event and published online shows a balloon coming in for a leisurely landing in an open location. After afterwards, we observe the rescuers assisting the visitors in escaping the burning building. It sounds like a guy is yelling for someone to call an ambulance.
Hot air ballooning above Luxor, which is located 320 kilometers south of Cairo, is a popular activity because it provides a picturesque perspective from which to see ancient structures.
However, ballooning accidents happen. 19 tourists were murdered when their hot air balloon capsized near Luxor in 2013, making it perhaps the bloodiest disaster of its kind in recorded history.
In 2009, a balloon carrying 16 tourists crashed into a cellular transmission tower, causing the passengers to sustain injuries. A similar occurrence occurred the year before, resulting in the injuries of seven vacationers.
