Aussies’ close call

Fatal balloon crash drama

THE pilot of a hot-air balloon crash that claimed the life of a South African man and injured seven Australians in Luxor at the weekend is being held in custody after being charged with neglect.

Pilot Baligh Hamdy, Mohamed El Gohary, company director Hany El Sayed and Essam Hassan, director of the balloon airport in Luxor, have all been charged with neglect for carrying 22 tourists instead of the authorised number of 20.

The four could remain in jail for 50 days until investigations are completed.

In total, 15 people were injured after the pilot lost control in high winds near the southern Egyptian city of Luxor after taking off around sunrise on Friday. South African Daryn GenWeigle, 34, died in the crash.

As of late Saturday night (AEDT) the seven Australians — Zoe Drinkwater, 22, of Newcastle; Vanessa Condran, 31, from the Illawarra; Montanna Leveque, 20, and River Kano, 21, from Melbourne; and Emma Forster, 24, from Alice Springs; Adele Jayde, from Melbourne; and Morgan Adams, from Victoria — had all been released from hospital.

It is understood some have continued with their travel plans, and others were planning to return home.

Abd El Gwad Amin, the assistant director of general administration of tourism and antiquities for south Upper Egypt, said balloon flights were back to normal yesterday with 10 flights going up.

He said the tourists’ injuries were simple and most of them had been released from Luxor International Hospital and had travelled to Cairo, as planned in their travel program.

Head of Luxor Balloon Hisham Al Disoky said the company didn’t receive any request from any party on board to cancel the trip ahead of the predicted bad weather. He said the weather was suitable for takeoff, and this was backed up by the Meteor Tower of Luxor International Airport.

He said the wind speed was zero on takeoff but grew to 27km/h, a dangerous speed for hot air balloons and this forced a hard landing which resulted in the death and multiple injuries.

However, Al Disoky denied the pilot had made a mistake, blaming the weather.