Rescuers have found a cluster of balloon floating in the ocean off Brazil’s coast, but did not find the Catholic priest who had been using them in a bid to set a flight record.
Father Adelir Antonio di Carli remained missing today after lifting off from the port city of Paranagua on Sunday in a bid to break a record for the longest time in-flight with party balloons.
Father Di Carli was reported missing about eight hours after taking off when he lost contact with port authority officials.
Catholic priest Adelir Antonio de Carli (42) flies in a harness-like seat suspended from 1,000 balloons in the southern Brazilian port of Paranagua on Monday
Globo TV said authorities reached the cluster of balloons late last night but the priest was not there.
“Given his physical condition and the equipment he was carrying, I would say there is an 80 per cent chance that he is still alive,” said Johnny Coelho, commander of the Penha Fire Department, which is searching for the priest.
Father Di Carli, who has taken jungle survival and mountain climbing courses, was carrying enough drinking water and cereal bars to stay alive for at least five days, Mr Coelho said.
The priest, an experienced skydiver, also had a GPS device, satellite phone and buoyant chair with him.
“He last used the phone and GPS on Sunday at 8.45 p.m. to let the Navy know his location,” Mr Coelho said. “We haven’t heard from him since.”
The priest embarked on a similar adventure on January 13th, when he used 600 balloons to carry him on a four-hour, 17,390 foot-high voyage from the town of Ampere to neighbouring Argentina, where he landed safely.
Parishioners at his Sao Cristovao parish were holding a vigil for Father Di Carli, confident he would be found.
AP