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'Flying' priest's balloons found | 'Flying' priest's balloons found |
(9 minutes later) | |
Search crews in Brazil have found a bundle of balloons off the coast that were being used by a priest who went missing trying to set a flight record. | Search crews in Brazil have found a bundle of balloons off the coast that were being used by a priest who went missing trying to set a flight record. |
Father Adelir de Carli lifted off from the port city of Paranagua on Sunday strapped to 1,000 helium balloons. | Father Adelir de Carli lifted off from the port city of Paranagua on Sunday strapped to 1,000 helium balloons. |
Although equipped with flotation equipment, a satellite phone and GPS, contact was lost with him late on Sunday after he was blown off course. | Although equipped with flotation equipment, a satellite phone and GPS, contact was lost with him late on Sunday after he was blown off course. |
He wanted to break a 19-hour record for the most hours flying with balloons. | He wanted to break a 19-hour record for the most hours flying with balloons. |
He was trying to raise funds to provide a rest stop for lorry drivers in Paranagua, a major port for agricultural products. | He was trying to raise funds to provide a rest stop for lorry drivers in Paranagua, a major port for agricultural products. |
Rescue hopes | Rescue hopes |
Father Carli's bundle of brightly-coloured balloons was found floating in the Atlantic Ocean off Santa Catarina state, near the point where he last made contact with authorities on the ground. | Father Carli's bundle of brightly-coloured balloons was found floating in the Atlantic Ocean off Santa Catarina state, near the point where he last made contact with authorities on the ground. |
Rescue officials were holding out hopes he would still be found alive. | Rescue officials were holding out hopes he would still be found alive. |
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The priest was attempting to break a flying record | The priest was attempting to break a flying record |
He was wearing a helmet, parachute, thermal flight suit, waterproof coveralls and a buoyant chair. He is also an experienced skydiver. | He was wearing a helmet, parachute, thermal flight suit, waterproof coveralls and a buoyant chair. He is also an experienced skydiver. |
"Given his physical condition and the equipment he was carrying, I would say there is 80% chance that he is still alive," said Johnny Coelho, chief of the Penha Fire Department. | "Given his physical condition and the equipment he was carrying, I would say there is 80% chance that he is still alive," said Johnny Coelho, chief of the Penha Fire Department. |
Father Carli, a Roman Catholic priest, was carrying enough food and water for five days and there was a chance he was still drifting in the ocean or had been washed ashore on a remote section of the coast, said Mr Coelho. | Father Carli, a Roman Catholic priest, was carrying enough food and water for five days and there was a chance he was still drifting in the ocean or had been washed ashore on a remote section of the coast, said Mr Coelho. |
'Losing height' | 'Losing height' |
In a phone interview with Brazilian TV channel Globo on Sunday, he said he was having difficulty operating his GPS device, and was "very cold, but fine". | In a phone interview with Brazilian TV channel Globo on Sunday, he said he was having difficulty operating his GPS device, and was "very cold, but fine". |
He was said to have reached an altitude of 20,000ft (6,000m), then descended to about 8,200ft for his planned flight to the city of Dourados. | He was said to have reached an altitude of 20,000ft (6,000m), then descended to about 8,200ft for his planned flight to the city of Dourados. |
But he was blown off course by winds and when last contacted was floating several miles off the coast. | But he was blown off course by winds and when last contacted was floating several miles off the coast. |
Before losing contact, he said he had to land in the sea as he was "losing height". | Before losing contact, he said he had to land in the sea as he was "losing height". |
In January, the priest used the same mode of transport to fly over 110km (70 miles) in four hours between Parana and the nearby Argentine city of San Antonio. | In January, the priest used the same mode of transport to fly over 110km (70 miles) in four hours between Parana and the nearby Argentine city of San Antonio. |