[fake] boy stuck in helium craft


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(CNN) -- Officials are trying to rescue a 6-year-old boy who climbed into a balloon-like experimental aircraft built by his parents and floated into the sky over eastern Colorado. The family describes the structure as a dome-shaped "homemade flying saucer," according to sheriff's office. The boy's family had been building the experimental aircraft at their home on Fossil Ridge Road in Fort Collins, CNN affiliate KUSA reported.

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Major WTF? It's not april first... nothing else on this story, is it even real? lol

omg on CNN too... this is crazy, thoughts go out to the family at this time, how on earth will they stop it?

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I was just reading about this. This could be a disaster.

(CNN) -- Officials are trying to rescue a 6-year-old boy who climbed into a balloon-like experimental aircraft built by his parents and floated into the sky over eastern Colorado.

The aluminum-covered, dome-shaped balloon is 20 feet long and 5 feet high, Larimer County Sheriff's Office says.

The aluminum-covered, dome-shaped balloon is 20 feet long and 5 feet high, Larimer County Sheriff's Office says.

Margie Martinez of the Weld County Sheriff's Office said a sibling saw the boy climb into the basket before the balloon took off. Since the door on the balloon was unlocked, Martinez said it's possible the boy had fallen out.

The balloon appeared to be a saucer-shaped, Mylar-coated helium balloon, not unlike a party balloon. The craft was drifting eastward, authorities said.

The helium balloon was tethered to the boy's family home in Fort Collins, the Larimer County Sheriff's Department said. The boy got into the craft Thursday morning and undid the rope anchoring it.

The aluminum-covered, dome-shaped balloon is 20 feet long and 5 feet high, the Larimer County Sheriff's Office said.

"The structure at the bottom of the balloon that the boy is in is made of extremely thin plywood and won't withstand any kind of a crash at all," said Erik Nilsson, Larimer County Emergency Manager, according to CNN affiliate KMGH.

The Federal Aviation Administration is trying to track the aircraft on radar and has notified the Denver International Airport. Shortly after noon (2 p.m. ET), the balloon was sighted two miles south of Evans.

CNN meteorologist Chad Myers estimated the wind would keep the vessel moving at 30 mph. Authorities say the craft is about 7,000 feet above the ground.

Kathy Davis, spokeswoman for the sheriff's department, said a dispatcher received a call Thursday morning, and emergency services personnel were contacted.

Davis said a balloon company had been contacted and several media outlets offered to help track the balloon with their helicopters.

The family has described the structure as a a dome-shaped "homemade flying saucer," Larimer County Sheriff's Office Spokeswoman Kathy Davis said.

"We're trying to determine the best course of action," Davis said. "This is a first and we'll do what we need to do."

Source - CNN

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Whoa!, its live in the UK on Sky News too.

That ballon is going fast!.

What altitude is he at?

They should get two helicopters with a net :laugh:

It's not that fast. That's the camera moving along with him. Speed approx 20mph.

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Deputies chase boy floating in balloon aircraft

Cops: 6-year-old takes off in family's experimental helium-balloon craft

FORT COLLINS. Colo. - Authorities were trying to determine Thursday how to safely bring down a 6-year-old boy who reportedly clambered into his family's experimental balloon aircraft and floated away from home, sheriff's officials said.

The bizarre scene played out live on television and prompted fears that the mushroom-shaped balloon would crash. The balloon rotated slowly in the wind, tipping precariously at times.

The boy's family had been building an experimental aircraft that had a large helium balloon attached to it at their home, KUSA-TV reported. The aircraft, which resembled a flying saucer, was approximately 20 feet by 5 feet and had a foil top.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33330516/ns/us...ourts?GT1=43001

live video coverage http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22887392#22887392

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