A terrifying mid-air collision at 200 feet caused a hot air balloon, carrying 28 tourists, to plummet to the ground in ancient Egypt on Monday.
The dramatic incident resulted in two people sustaining injuries as the balloon crashed during its flight over the historic sights of the region.
Video footage of the incident captures the moment the two balloons collided, causing one of them to rapidly descend towards the ground.
The pilot of the falling balloon desperately activates the burner to release hot air in an attempt to slow down the descent.
The basket of the balloon hits the ground with force and nearly takes off again, but bystanders quickly intervene by clinging to the basket’s edge to prevent it from lifting off.
Moreover, reports from local media indicate that the balloon had veered off course over the historic city of Luxor. Subsequent to the incident, hot air balloon rides over the city were temporarily suspended.
Officials stated that the collision caused damage to the balloon’s fabric, leading to a rapid loss of altitude. The Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed that two individuals sustained minor injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
However, details regarding the nationality of the injured tourists and the nature of their injuries were not provided by the ministry.
Furthermore, initial investigations revealed that the balloon was affected by varying wind speeds.
The wind speed escalated from approximately three knots (3.5 mph) at ground level to around seven knots (8 mph) when the balloon was at an altitude of approximately 197 feet (60 meters). This sudden change in wind speed led to the collision between the two balloons and caused the nylon material of the balloon to tear.
Luxor has seen its share of balloon-related accidents over the years. In 2013, a balloon crash resulted in the tragic loss of 19 tourists’ lives.
Another incident occurred in 2009 when a hot air balloon deviated from its intended path and crashed into a telecommunications tower, causing injuries to 16 tourists.
In May of this year, dramatic footage captured a hot air balloon narrowly avoiding crashing into homes before ultimately landing in a car park in Taunton, Somerset.
