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Hunt for US 'runaway balloon boy' 'Balloon boy' found alive at home
(about 1 hour later)
Police are searching for a six-year-old boy missing after he reportedly floated away in a helium balloon that later came down with no sign of him aboard. A six-year-old boy thought to have been carried away by a helium balloon in Colorado was in fact hiding in a box in an attic at home, an official has said.
Larimer county sheriff Jim Alderman told reporters that apparently Falcon Heene had "been there the whole time".
Police had been searching for the boy after the balloon came down with no sign of him aboard.
The drama was played out on TV, with US networks devoting their airtime to live footage of the balloon over Colorado.The drama was played out on TV, with US networks devoting their airtime to live footage of the balloon over Colorado.
Two hours later it came down in fields and was surrounded by rescue vehicles. The balloon landed in fields and was surrounded by rescue vehicles after a two-hour flight.
A sheriff's spokeswoman said the boy had reportedly climbed into a basket attached to the balloon but the basket was not attached when it landed. A sheriff's spokeswoman earlier said the boy had reportedly climbed into a basket attached to the balloon but the basket was not attached when it landed.
Spokeswoman Kathy Messick said investigators were looking at every possibility, including whether the boy was ever on the aircraft. She said his parents had been "very traumatised".
Police officers are searching on the ground in the direction in which the balloon flew, as well as the neighbourhood where the family lives. Police officers had searched on the ground in the direction in which the balloon flew, as well as the neighbourhood where the family lives.
She said his parents were "very traumatised".
Access doorAccess door
The silver balloon, apparently made by the boy's father, reportedly reached heights of 7,000ft (2km).The silver balloon, apparently made by the boy's father, reportedly reached heights of 7,000ft (2km).
It was floating about 40 miles north of Denver before it came down.It was floating about 40 miles north of Denver before it came down.
Emergency vehicles surrounded the aircraft as it landedEmergency vehicles surrounded the aircraft as it landed
Earlier, Larimer County sheriff's office spokeswoman Cathy Davis told reporters the balloon had been tethered in the back garden of the boy's family home.Earlier, Larimer County sheriff's office spokeswoman Cathy Davis told reporters the balloon had been tethered in the back garden of the boy's family home.
She said two of the sons were playing outside when the older boy saw the younger one climb in, apparently through an access door, and the balloon fly away.She said two of the sons were playing outside when the older boy saw the younger one climb in, apparently through an access door, and the balloon fly away.
The boy has been named by police as Falcon Heene. The boy's father, Richard Heene, apparently used the balloon to track the weather.
His father, Richard Heene, apparently used the balloon to track the weather.
Live footage of the balloon, which was being tracked by media helicopters, showed it soaring high above the ground.Live footage of the balloon, which was being tracked by media helicopters, showed it soaring high above the ground.