Image Source: Sky News BY COLLIN RUANE ANCHOR KATIE BRENNAN A hot-air balloon crash in Egypt has killed at least 18 tourists from Britain, France, Hong Kong and Japan. The balloon reportedly caught fire above Luxor — a popular Egyptian tourist attraction. The BBC spoke with a man who saw the accident from another balloon. “It was more of what we heard. A loud explosion and then a lot of smoke right behind us … We heard lots of sirens. … For probably the next hour, lots and lots of sirens.” Those who made it out alive apparently escaped before the balloon went back into the air. A New York Times article details the horrifying scene as reported by state media: “The pilot and two others reportedly leapt from the burning balloon before it soared back up high into the air and burst into flames. State media reported that the dead had been ‘cremated’ by the explosion.” CNN reports this crash is the deadliest in 20 years — the balloon dropping nearly 1,000 feet. http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/26/world/africa/egypt-balloon-deaths/?hpt=hp_t1 Al Jazeera notes that part of Egypt has seen its share of injuries from hot-air balloon accidents since ballooning started there in 1989, but “nothing on this scale.” The Telegraph adds the governor of Luxor has banned all hot-air balloon flights there as a result of the accident, and reports safety concerns have been on the mind of locals. “The crash comes amid widespread anger over safety standards in Egypt following several deadly transport and construction accidents.”