BEIJING, March. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Egypt’s tourism minister has visited the Chinese embassy in Cairo, to express condolences over the recent hot air balloon tragedy that left 19 people dead, including 9 from Hong Kong.

Speaking at a news conference later on Sunday, Hesham Zazou, stressed that an investigation into the accident is still going on, and that Egypt takes responsibility for the tragedy. The minister also pledged to overhaul Egypt’s regulations on high-risk tourist activities.

On the same day, families of the 9 Chinese victims held a memorial service in the Egyptian town of Luxor. They gathered at the crash site to commemorate the victims, laying flowers to show their condolences. The hot air balloon plummeted to the ground last week, following an explosion.

All the 9 Hong Kong victims have now been identified. The incident has raised fears that Egypt’s tourism industry will be further dented by the tragedy.

(Source: cntv.com)