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.