By Ayman Mohyeldin and Charlene Gubash, NBC NewsA hot air balloon carrying foreign tourists crashed near the ancient city of Luxor, killing 19 people, a government official confirmed Tuesday.
Initial reports say the hot air balloon caught on fire mid-air before crashing to the ground, General Mamdough Khaled, director of security for Luxor Governate said in a statement. Luxor International Hospital received 19 badly burned bodies, Khaled said.
Follow @NBCNewsWorld (https://twitter.com/NBCNewsWorld) Ahmed Aboud, who runs another balloon company, told NBC News that gas tanks ignited the balloon about 1,000 feet. Two people survived, a tourist and the pilot, Aboud said. Both are in critical condition, the statement from Khaled said.
A health official in Luxor told NBC News that the victims include 9 from Hong Kong, 4 from Japan, 2 from the UK, 2 from France and two others who have not been identified.
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