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Boy Floats Away in Balloon [Updated]
Photo: KMGH-TV
This is entirely strange, bizarre and truly frightening. A 6-year-old Colorado boy apparently climbed into a hot-air balloon (of sorts) that floated away. Commentators on CNN predict it's going 40 miles per hour at 10,000 feet elevation. There is also speculation that the boy (his name is Falcon Heen) may have fallen out, according to a sibling who said the balloon's door was left open as it took off. Craig Kennedy, a hot air balloon expert, agrees, hypothesizing that if the boy was actually on board, it wouldn't be flying so topsy-turvy like.
The experimental mylar flying saucer balloon reportedly is homemade and was in the family's Fort Collins backyard. The balloon and the boy (if he's on board) is currently is about 25 miles northwest of the Denver International Airport. Officials are trying to figure out how to bring the balloon down safely.
Updates
-12:35 p.m., PST: It landed softly, officials are checking the balloon now.
-12:38 p.m., PST: They are popping the balloon, but haven't checked inside yet.
-12:40 p.m., PST: Balloon deflated, no sign of Falcon so far.
-12:41 p.m., PST: No one is found in the balloon, this could be good or bad. Where is Falcon?
-12:47 p.m., PST: The family appeared on the reality show, Wife Swap. The dad is described as a "weather chaser" and former meteorologist
-1:01 p.m., PST: The family is described as one that lives on the edge.
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