19 tourists killed in Egyptian hot air balloon crash

At least 19 tourists have been killed in a hot air balloon crash in the Southern town of Luxor in Egypt

At least 19 tourists have been reportedly killed in a hot air balloon accident in the southern town of Luxor in Egypt. The incident occurred early Tuesday morning local time.

More details are yet to come, but was confirmed by police and The Associated Press.

A number of tourists have been killed in similar incidents in recent years. It also comes as the Egyptian government attempts to jump start the foreign tourism sector, which has been hit hard by the ongoing unrest in the country over the past two years across Egypt.

According to a police official who spoke to Bikyanews.com, the balloon reportedly exploded in mid-air and tumbled to the ground.

The official said two people survived the incident.