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LUXOR, EGYPT—A reported 18 tourists from France, Britain, Belgium, Hungary, Japan, and Hong Kong were killed when their hot air balloon sailing over the ancient Egyptian temples of Luxor caught fire, exploded, and then crashed in a sugar cane field to the west. Three people, including two tourists, are thought to have survived the crash. Egypt’s state prosecutor’s office reports that initial findings show that the crash was accidental, but the investigation is ongoing. There are eight hot air balloon companies operating in Luxor, which has been hard hit with the decline in foreign visitors since the 2011 revolution.
