Moments earlier they had been enjoying spectacular views over Egypt’s Valley of the Kings as their hot air balloon soared serenely through the still dawn air.
But the relaxing peace was quickly shattered as the 20 tourists and their pilot came into land when a hose from gas tanks suddenly ruptured and sparked a fire that sent them soaring up to 1,000 ft back into the sky.
And with flames licking around them, some of the terrified occupants took the agonising decision to leap from the blazing basket before it exploded in a ball of flames and plunged to the ground.
Astonishingly, two of the nine who jumped survived – Brit Michael Rennie, 49, and the pilot.
Tragically, Michael’s 48-year-old wife Yvonne died in the disaster along with Londoner Joe Bampton, his Hungarian girlfriend Suzanna Gyetvai and 16 other tourists from across the world.
Construction worker Michael was tonight stable in hospital after suffering leg, chest and rib injuries.
Horrified witnesses told how they saw the tourists leap for their lives.
One, Egyptian Cherry Tohamy, who was in another balloon nearby, said: “People were jumping out from about the height of a seven-storey building.
“Our pilot told us that the balloon had hit a high-pressure electrical cable and a cylinder on board exploded.”
Other witnesses could be heard praying in Arabic as they filmed the sickening moment the balloon exploded and fell back down to earth near Luxor.
The basket of the stricken craft plummeted down into fields below, spreading wreckage all around.
Harrowing TV footage showed the bodies of the dead scattered in the field along with gas canisters and debris.
Friends and neighbours of the dead Brits and Suzanna tonight paid tribute to the adventure seekers who died in what is believed to have been the world’s worst ballooning disaster.
Joe and Suzanna, both 34, worked at the Lots Road auction house in Chelsea, West London. The couple had enjoyed holidays to Egypt before.
Senior auctioneer Nick Carter said: “We are all frightfully shocked. They had spoken a lot about going on this trip to Egypt.
"I didn’t know they were going on this particular balloon trip but they did mention it to other members of staff.
“Joe liked sunrises, that was the whole point of going on the trip.
“It was something they were both looking forward to. They were two people very much in love and a lovely couple.
"They were companions to each other. I broke the news of his death to one of our clients today and he broke down in tears.
“It is very tragic. It’s a very hard thing to come to terms with, it’s like losing a brother.
“Joe’s death will leave a huge hole. We are all just in shock at the moment.
“Suzanna was a lovely girl. She was incredibly pretty and a very popular member of staff.
"She had been with us for three years and was part of the family. It is incredibly sad.
"It’s not about a colleague being sorely missed, it’s about being proper bereavement.
“Our managing director has described him as one of his sons. All of us are devastated and some are coping better than others. It’s a horrible experience.
“We all get touched by death sometimes but this isn’t a normal experience.
"It’s not somebody dying of a heart attack, it’s much bigger than that.”
Joe initially survived the impact but died on his way to hospital.
An expert valuer in rugs and carpets, he studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and had works exhibited in London, Paris and Berlin.
Joe lived in London with Suzanna and their pet dog Ollie.
Hospital X-ray receptionist Yvonne and construction worker Michael – who had been married a couple of years – lived in Perth, central Scotland.
Neighbour Kathleen Lumsden, 76, said: “When I heard the news I was really shocked and very, very saddened.
"They were our neighbours for about six years and both Yvonne and Michael were friendly and good people.
“Michael’s going to feel dreadful when he comes back, he’s always been a good neighbour to me so I will do as much as I can to help him.
"He was very lucky to have survived but I don’t know if he’ll think he’s been lucky.”
Retired printer Kathleen told how grandad Michael – who was transferred to hospital in the capital Cairo 320 miles away from the disaster scene – worked in the South but returned home each weekend.
A close friend of the couple added: “They’d known each other for years and decided to tie the knot at Gretna.
“They both loved travelling and had visited New York but decided to go to Luxor for an extra special trip. They left last Wednesday.
“It’s absolutely tragic because Michael’s daughter from a previous relationship, who lives in Wales, has just had a baby and I know Yvonne was looking forward to being a gran.”
But the relaxing peace was quickly shattered as the 20 tourists and their pilot came into land when a hose from gas tanks suddenly ruptured and sparked a fire that sent them soaring up to 1,000 ft back into the sky.
And with flames licking around them, some of the terrified occupants took the agonising decision to leap from the blazing basket before it exploded in a ball of flames and plunged to the ground.
Astonishingly, two of the nine who jumped survived – Brit Michael Rennie, 49, and the pilot.
Tragically, Michael’s 48-year-old wife Yvonne died in the disaster along with Londoner Joe Bampton, his Hungarian girlfriend Suzanna Gyetvai and 16 other tourists from across the world.
Construction worker Michael was tonight stable in hospital after suffering leg, chest and rib injuries.
Horrified witnesses told how they saw the tourists leap for their lives.
One, Egyptian Cherry Tohamy, who was in another balloon nearby, said: “People were jumping out from about the height of a seven-storey building.
“Our pilot told us that the balloon had hit a high-pressure electrical cable and a cylinder on board exploded.”
Other witnesses could be heard praying in Arabic as they filmed the sickening moment the balloon exploded and fell back down to earth near Luxor.
The basket of the stricken craft plummeted down into fields below, spreading wreckage all around.
Harrowing TV footage showed the bodies of the dead scattered in the field along with gas canisters and debris.
Friends and neighbours of the dead Brits and Suzanna tonight paid tribute to the adventure seekers who died in what is believed to have been the world’s worst ballooning disaster.
Joe and Suzanna, both 34, worked at the Lots Road auction house in Chelsea, West London. The couple had enjoyed holidays to Egypt before.
Senior auctioneer Nick Carter said: “We are all frightfully shocked. They had spoken a lot about going on this trip to Egypt.
"I didn’t know they were going on this particular balloon trip but they did mention it to other members of staff.
“Joe liked sunrises, that was the whole point of going on the trip.
“It was something they were both looking forward to. They were two people very much in love and a lovely couple.
"They were companions to each other. I broke the news of his death to one of our clients today and he broke down in tears.
“It is very tragic. It’s a very hard thing to come to terms with, it’s like losing a brother.
“Joe’s death will leave a huge hole. We are all just in shock at the moment.
“Suzanna was a lovely girl. She was incredibly pretty and a very popular member of staff.
"She had been with us for three years and was part of the family. It is incredibly sad.
"It’s not about a colleague being sorely missed, it’s about being proper bereavement.
“Our managing director has described him as one of his sons. All of us are devastated and some are coping better than others. It’s a horrible experience.
“We all get touched by death sometimes but this isn’t a normal experience.
"It’s not somebody dying of a heart attack, it’s much bigger than that.”
Joe initially survived the impact but died on his way to hospital.
An expert valuer in rugs and carpets, he studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and had works exhibited in London, Paris and Berlin.
Joe lived in London with Suzanna and their pet dog Ollie.
Hospital X-ray receptionist Yvonne and construction worker Michael – who had been married a couple of years – lived in Perth, central Scotland.
Neighbour Kathleen Lumsden, 76, said: “When I heard the news I was really shocked and very, very saddened.
"They were our neighbours for about six years and both Yvonne and Michael were friendly and good people.
“Michael’s going to feel dreadful when he comes back, he’s always been a good neighbour to me so I will do as much as I can to help him.
"He was very lucky to have survived but I don’t know if he’ll think he’s been lucky.”
Retired printer Kathleen told how grandad Michael – who was transferred to hospital in the capital Cairo 320 miles away from the disaster scene – worked in the South but returned home each weekend.
A close friend of the couple added: “They’d known each other for years and decided to tie the knot at Gretna.
“They both loved travelling and had visited New York but decided to go to Luxor for an extra special trip. They left last Wednesday.
“It’s absolutely tragic because Michael’s daughter from a previous relationship, who lives in Wales, has just had a baby and I know Yvonne was looking forward to being a gran.”
Source : Mirror
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