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| Franky Zapata: Flyboard inventor fails in cross-Channel bid | Franky Zapata: Flyboard inventor fails in cross-Channel bid |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A French inventor has failed in his attempt to cross the English Channel on a jet-powered flyboard. | A French inventor has failed in his attempt to cross the English Channel on a jet-powered flyboard. |
| Franky Zapata, a former jet-ski champion, had been hoping to cross from northern France to southern England in just 20 minutes. | Franky Zapata, a former jet-ski champion, had been hoping to cross from northern France to southern England in just 20 minutes. |
| But the 40-year-old fell into the water halfway across as he tried to land on a boat to refuel. | But the 40-year-old fell into the water halfway across as he tried to land on a boat to refuel. |
| He took off from near Calais on Thursday morning and was heading for St Margaret's Bay in Dover. | He took off from near Calais on Thursday morning and was heading for St Margaret's Bay in Dover. |
| Mr Zapata was not injured when he fell. | Mr Zapata was not injured when he fell. |
| "It is a huge disappointment," a member of his team told France's BFM TV shortly after the flight. "He must have missed the platform by just a few centimetres." | "It is a huge disappointment," a member of his team told France's BFM TV shortly after the flight. "He must have missed the platform by just a few centimetres." |
| "We practised this manoeuvre dozens of times in heavier seas," he added. | |
| The attempt took place exactly 110 years since Louis Blériot made the first powered flight across the Channel in 1909. | The attempt took place exactly 110 years since Louis Blériot made the first powered flight across the Channel in 1909. |
| Mr Zapata set off from the beach at Sangatte, near Calais, at about 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Thursday. The exact timing was dependent on the weather conditions and shipping traffic. | Mr Zapata set off from the beach at Sangatte, near Calais, at about 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Thursday. The exact timing was dependent on the weather conditions and shipping traffic. |
| He was aiming to keep an average speed of 87mph (140km/h) while travelling 15-20m (50-65ft) above the water. | He was aiming to keep an average speed of 87mph (140km/h) while travelling 15-20m (50-65ft) above the water. |
| Crowds gathered at the beach to watch the attempt. Shortly after setting off, Mr Zapata disappeared from view as a helicopter followed closely behind him. | Crowds gathered at the beach to watch the attempt. Shortly after setting off, Mr Zapata disappeared from view as a helicopter followed closely behind him. |
| But just minutes later it was announced that he had failed. | But just minutes later it was announced that he had failed. |
| "We created a new way of flying. We don't use wings. You are like a bird, it is your body that is flying. It is a boyhood dream," he told reporters ahead of the flight. | "We created a new way of flying. We don't use wings. You are like a bird, it is your body that is flying. It is a boyhood dream," he told reporters ahead of the flight. |
| But he warned that the wind could make the 22-mile (35km) crossing "more complex". | But he warned that the wind could make the 22-mile (35km) crossing "more complex". |
| Mr Zapata received widespread attention following the annual Bastille Day parade in Paris earlier this month, when he took part in a military display on his futuristic flyboard. | Mr Zapata received widespread attention following the annual Bastille Day parade in Paris earlier this month, when he took part in a military display on his futuristic flyboard. |
| The invention, which is about the size of a skateboard, is powered by five small jet engines and fuelled by kerosene which is kept in the rider's backpack. | The invention, which is about the size of a skateboard, is powered by five small jet engines and fuelled by kerosene which is kept in the rider's backpack. |