BEIJING: A hot air balloon crashed on Wednesday in a southern Chinese resort town with dramatic limestone formations, killing four Dutch tourists, state media said.

A fifth Dutch passenger and two Chinese balloon operators were injured in the accident near Yangshuo in the Guangxi region. The scenic town is a popular destination for backpackers.

Xinhua said the balloon flew for about an hour and was descending when a

fuel tank leak caused it

to catch fire about 490

feet above ground. It said

police confirmed that two couples were killed.

The crash occurred about 30 km south of Yangshuo in the farming village of De’an, China Central Television said in a report.