1. This inquest is to inquire into the cause of death, the circumstances connected with the death and to facilitate the coroner to make practicable recommendation to prevent future tragedy. It is not concerned with the fault, civil liability or compensation here. The law prohibits any conclusion being framed in such a way as to determine any question of civil liability. 2. All eye witnesses were not available. The two reports issued by the Egyptian aviation and prosecution authorities were received as evidence. The expert evidence of Mr. Chadwick (the General Aviation Flight Standard Officer (Balloon Operations) of UK Civil Aviation Authority was most helpful, impartial and professional. 3. It was the deadliest hot ballooning disaster in history resulted in 19 deaths with 9 Hong Kong citizens. All nine deceased died in the morning of 26 Feb 2013 during a hot-air balloon ride over Luxor City when the balloon caught fire during the flight after the landing procedure has started. The fire was due to hose fuel leak at the upper portion of the forward right hose connected to the burner number 193. Such fire also caused serious and direct injury to the balloon pilot who was unable to do anything to control the fire. The medical causes of death for all of the deceased were multiple injuries and burns. The conclusion as to deaths of all deceased is “deaths by accident”. 4. Recommendations to Travel Industry Council (TIC) 1) TIC to conduct a thorough research and collect data from the industry so as to list out popular activities operated in different countries offered by travel companies involving certain degree of risk. TIC to categorize the degree of risk in respect of different activities provided in different countries for the industry as reference. Such list should be updated from time to time; 2) TIC to set out clear guidelines to travel companies as to the necessary information of activities involving certain degree of risk to be provided to customers before taking part in such activities; 3) TIC to set out clear and specific guidelines to travel companies that customers should be reminded that their travel insurance may not cover activities involving certain degree of risk; 4) TIC to look into travel companies’ duty and responsibility in selecting and supervising the local service providers and review the existing guidelines when destination management companies are engaged; 5) TIC to set out new guidelines on travel companies’ duty and responsibility to supervise destination management companies; 6) TIC to set out safety guidance and advertise to customers as to the importance of obtaining details of travel policy insurance and information on activities involving risk before enrolment. 5. Recommendations to Kuoni 1) Kuoni to obtain sufficient information from local service providers and conduct thorough risk assessment on activities involving certain degree of risk provided to customers before offering the same; 2) Kuoni to conduct thorough evaluation after every serious accident taking place during tours provided by them so as to find out the cause of the accident and consider if there is anything that can be done to improve the quality and safety of service provided to customers. 3) Kuoni to provide sufficient information to customers about activities involving certain risk and remind them in more specific and clear terms that activities involving risk may not be covered by their travel insurance; 4) Kuoni to provide more training and information to front desk staff, including receptionists and tour escorts, so that they can be better equipped to explain the risk involved in activities provided by them; 5) Kuoni to set out clear criteria for selecting destination companies and local service providers with first hand information and to closely monitor the service provided by destination management companies and local service providers. 6. Both TIC and Kuoni need to reply the Coroner in writing in three months’ time as to 1) whether the above recommendations are accepted and if yes 2) what steps have been taken to implement the recommendations and 3) reasons if the recommendations are not accepted.