  19 European, Asian tourists killed in Egypt balloon crash February 26, 2013 - 15:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - British, French, Hong Kong and Japanese nationals are among 19 tourists killed in a hot air balloon crash near the Egyptian city of Luxor, according to BBC News. The balloon was at 1,000 ft (300m) when it caught fire and plunged onto fields west of Luxor, officials said. At least two people, including the balloon's pilot, reportedly survived; apparently by jumping out of the balloon before it crashed. Luxor is home to some of Egypt's most famous pharaonic-era ruins. It lies on the banks of the River Nile in the south of the country, and has long been a popular tourist destination. The crash happened on one of the many dawn hot air balloon flights that give tourists an aerial view of Luxor's famous sites, such as Karnak temple and the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The balloon's operating company confirmed that a gas cylinder exploded on board the balloon, bringing it down in an agricultural area just west of Luxor. Partner news  Top stories Among its provisions are bans on child marriage and the traditional practice of selling and buying women to settle disputes. Jorge Rafael Videla, an austere former army commander, led Argentina during the bloodiest days of its Dirty War dictatorship. According to the United Nations, April was Iraq's bloodiest month for almost five years, with 712 people killed. Reports suggest the rebel fighters may have tried to blow up the walls of the prison, which holds some 4,000 inmates.   Partner news |  Latest news Brad Pitt’s “World War Z” to open Moscow Film Fest  The fest will feature retrospectives of films by Bernardo Bertolucci and Costa Gavras, as well as a program devoted to Dutch cinema.Wrekin Hill picks up John Malkovich’s “Siberian Education” Based on the novel by Nicolai Lilin, the film is set in the ghetto of Soviet Russia and follows 2 boys who are members of a gang of exiled Siberians.EU says concerned over human rights record in Russia The European Union said it would closely watch developments affecting non-governmental organizations in Russia.John Lennon’s guitar auctioned for $408,000 The custom-made instrument, built in 1966 by the VOX company, was bought by an unidentified U.S. buyer in New York. |
