'Hot air balloon explosion in mid-air is almost unbelievable'

This may well be the biggest ballooning crash ever in terms of casualties. We are in an era where manufacturers make much bigger balloons which can quite safely take 21 people.

It’s always very rare for a balloon to have an accident because they are just so wonderfully safe. We will have to wait and see what went wrong. I’m sure there will be a very thorough investigation into the cause. The passenger flights operating in Luxor are subject to just the same rules as any other country.

The authorities make sure the pilots operating are properly certified and that they have medicals every year to make sure they are fit. In somewhere like the Valley of the Kings, there has to be an extra level of attention needed to make sure they don’t bump into one another. It’s perfectly normal for a balloon to fly at 1,000ft — they regularly fly higher than that.

The reports are that the balloon exploded in mid-air. That’s almost unbelievable. The balloons are made to aircraft standards, they’re not just built from parts off the shelf.

They are made to a very high standard and each pilot is trained on how to deal with propane, refuelling and the importance of giving the equipment a very close check before you take off.

The most important thing is the burner, hose and tank. For something to go wrong with that is most rare.

As for avoiding electric wires, pilots don’t go up if it’s foggy or too windy — only when it’s clear and you can see for maybe 20 miles.

You would be able to see buildings, wires and other obstacles clearly and make sure you only land when you’ve got plenty of open space.

Robin Batchelor is a professional balloon pilot who has been flying for 40 years.