Dismantling Swiss balloon in Alexandria
Egypt-International, Local, 3/26/1999

A team of Swiss technical experts traveling by helicopter started yesterday to retreive and dismantle the balloon that landed 100 km west of El-Dakhala airport at the conclusion of a journey around the world, considered the first of its type, Captian Gergis Beshay, manager of El-Dakhla airport told ArabicNews.com.

He added that he has received a phone call from British engineer Mill Jeans who is working for the company sponsoring the balloon's trip, mentioning that the technical team in two helicopters will carry the balloon by aircraft from its landing site then dismantle it and transport it by truck from Cairo to Alexandria to send its components by sea to Switzerland.

Beshay said the balloon landed in a place which was hard for cars to reach.

The balloon's height is 55 m, with a kitchen, bathroom and a bed tto accomodate the 20-day journey.

Abd El-Fattah Kalto, the head of Egyptian general organization for civil aviation, ordered the airport to present all required facilities and services to facilitate the mission of the technicians and businessmen who are to arrive to the balloon's landing site in El-Dakhla.

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  Egypt denies British allegations of mistreating Swiss balloon   (3/23/1999)

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