6-Year-Old Boy Stuck in Homemade Helium Balloon Updated: Thursday, 15 Oct 2009, 1:54 PM CDT Published : Thursday, 15 Oct 2009, 1:44 PM CDT
By The Associated Press FORT COLLINS, Colo. - A 6-year-old boy climbed into a homemade balloon aircraft and floated away Thursday, forcing officials to scramble to figure out how to rescue the boy as he hurled through the air.
The bizarre scene played out live on television and prompted fears that the flying saucer-shaped balloon would crash with the young child inside. FAA spokesman Mike Fergus says the agency has been notified and it was unclear whether traffic controllers had picked it up on radar.
Larimer County sheriff's spokeswoman Eloise Campanella says the device has the potential to rise to 10,000 feet. Sheriff's officials last saw the device floating south of Milliken, which is about 40 miles north of Denver.
"We were sitting eating, out looking where they normally shoot off hot air balloons. My husband said he saw something. It went over our rooftop. Then we saw the big round balloonish thing, it was spinning," said neighbor Lisa Eklund.
Additional details about the child and the balloon were not immediately available.
[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 10-15-2009).]
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02:58 PM
PFF
System Bot
Bullet Member
Posts: 797 From: Douglasville, GA Registered: Jul 2007
Ignoring for a moment the fact that there's a child in danger, I gotta say that the balloon is cool. Wonder if it is a commercial unit, or something home-made.
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03:21 PM
avengador1 Member
Posts: 35468 From: Orlando, Florida Registered: Oct 2001
It's a home built Helium balloon. It seems to be deflating and is loosing altitude. I hope it doesn't come down too hard. He's about 1000 feet of the ground now.
[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 10-15-2009).]
maybe a helicopter and a loooong cable? Are there lines hanging down from it?
Realizing you're not a helicopter pilot, I'll just say, that won't work. Turbulence from the rotors would probably upset the balloon and there is no way a helicopter pilot is going to get close enough to the ballon or rope to chance it getting tangled in the main or tail rotors. The end result of such a meeting would not be good.
"A runaway balloon has touched down in Colorado after a 6-year-old boy was thought to have untied it from his family home in Fort Collins. A sibling said he saw the boy get into the craft Thursday morning, but CNN affiliate KMGH reports no one was found inside" from CNN
Hopfully he just untied it and is now hiding somwhere because he's scared.
They are reporting the ballon got up as high as 15,000 feet above sea level. Though there is enough oxygen at that altitude to survive for a while, it's thin air. Temperatures at that altitude are less than 17 degrees F today in CO. Not looking good for this child.
I guess he knew he did something wrong and hid very well. I bet his parents don't know if they should kiss him or killl him at this point. At least there is a happy ending.
This is right up the interstate from me here in South Denver. This family has been involved in reality shows like wife swapper and storm chasers. The local opinion is, it was a publicity stunt. The Ft. Collins police will continue investigation, and could very well cite them for wasting tax payer money.
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07:23 PM
LitebulbwithaFiero Member
Posts: 3381 From: LaSalle, Michigan Registered: Jun 2008
Weather ballon experement. Suposedley the kid climbed into the baloon and the teathers snaped causing the incident. They siad on the news he was found in the atic of his house hiding in a box.
At least there is a happy ending. 
