Egypt – Hot air balloon disaster
| We are all saddened by the tragic story of the 19 tourists killed in Egypt after their balloon flight went horribly wrong.WHO reports Tourists are 10 times more likely to die as the result of an injury than from an infectious disease
; injuries cause 23% of tourist deaths compared with only 2% caused by infectious diseases. Contributing to the injury toll while traveling are exposure to unfamiliar and perhaps risky environments, differences in language and communications, less stringent product safety and vehicle standards, unfamiliar rules and regulations, a carefree holiday or vacation spirit leading to more risk-taking behaviour, and overreliance on travel and tour operators to protect one’s safety and security. Safety in the air takes major attention to every tiny detail, obsessional training of pilots and maintenance crew, tightly enforced government regulations, expensive and well maintained equipment and so on. This article in Sydney Morning Herald on the balloon disaster in Egypt is worth reading for anyone planning balloon flights. |
