On Monday, Egyptian authorities decided to suspend hot-air balloon trips over the ancient city of Luxor after two tourists were lightly injured during a ride earlier today.
In a statement, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the suspension of hot-air balloons in Luxor after a balloon with 28 tourists drifted off course but eventually landed. The two injured tourists were taken to the hospital for treatment.
It added that the rides would not resume until an investigation is completed.
The statement did not elaborate on the nationalities of the tourists. It said only that the balloon was at an altitude of 60 meters (197 feet) when it veered off course.
Egyptian officials say ballooning companies are being inspected for adherence to safety measures. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity under regulations.
Hot air ballooning over Luxor is popular, with balloons taking nearly 360 tourists over the city every day.
However, ballooning accidents are not uncommon. A hot air balloon crash near Luxor in 2013 killed 19 tourists, likely the deadliest such accident on record.
In 2009, 16 tourists were injured when their balloon struck a cellphone transmission tower. A year earlier, seven tourists were injured in a similar incident.
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