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-powered aircraft and floated away from home, sheriff's officials said.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Department said 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 was approximately 20 feet by 5 feet and covered in tin foil, the station said.
On Thursday morning, according to the family and officials, the boy got onto the aircraft and detached the rope holding it in place. Sheriff's spokeswoman Eloise Campanella said the boy climbed into the access door and the airborne device took off.
Several people in the neighborhood said they saw the aircraft floating over their homes and some snapped pictures.
Television news helicopters were tracking the craft, which was last seen floating south of Milliken, about 40 miles north of Denver.
Officials were scrambling to figure out how to rescue the boy.
The craft, which is shaped like a flying saucer, has the potential to rise to 10,000 feet, Campanella said.
Roody wrote:Balloon landed, but no boy in the balloon.
wtf? lol ok so they are chasing a balloon not even knowing where the boy is? What a bunch of stupid Deputies... that boy is hiding somewhere to avoid getting in trouble from letting it go most likely.
Sava700 wrote:wtf? lol ok so they are chasing a balloon not even knowing where the boy is? What a bunch of stupid Deputies... that boy is hiding somewhere to avoid getting in trouble from letting it go most likely.
How are the deputies stupid? The parents believed that the boy was in the balloon. The kids brother said that he saw the boy get in the balloon right before it took off. It's best that you hold judgment without knowing what really happened.
JBrazen wrote:How are the deputies stupid? The parents believed that the boy was in the balloon. The kids brother said that he saw the boy get in the balloon right before it took off. It's best that you hold judgment without knowing what really happened.
Well how about "miss informed" and as YOS wondered..i'm sure the boy is hiding out to avoid getting in trouble at this point. Perhaps the news agency's >> ALL OF THEM can add to this quickly than leaving so many open holes and gaps in the story cause no matter how you view it others may see it as I saw it at first.
Thankfully the boy was okay. Now we can all sit back and wait for Sava to come on here and remind us how he was right. As if we didn't catch his prediction the first time.
Roody wrote:Thankfully the boy was okay. Now we can all sit back and wait for Sava to come on here and remind us how he was right. As if we didn't catch his prediction the first time.
ANd to tell us how all this wasted money will raise the gas price.
YARDofSTUF wrote:ANd to tell us how all this wasted money will raise the gas price.
and then inform us of the evils of media who somehow only made him in this thread feel compelled to make such a rash comment about the boys parents. Then he will wrap it up by saying that now due to that rise in gas that this boys events will undoubtedly create he will now be forced to only buy 4-5 blu ray movies next week as opposed to 6-7. Oh yeah and somehow Obama will be at fault in the process.
Roody wrote:and then inform us of the evils of media who somehow only made him in this thread feel compelled to make such a rash comment about the boys parents. Then he will wrap it up by saying that now due to that rise in gas that this boys events will undoubtedly create he will now be forced to only buy 4-5 blu ray movies next week as opposed to 6-7. Oh yeah and somehow Obama will be at fault in the process.
Roody wrote:and then inform us of the evils of media who somehow only made him in this thread feel compelled to make such a rash comment about the boys parents. Then he will wrap it up by saying that now due to that rise in gas that this boys events will undoubtedly create he will now be forced to only buy 4-5 blu ray movies next week as opposed to 6-7. Oh yeah and somehow Obama will be at fault in the process.
Well it would appear it most likely was staged... just as I thought something wasn't right and yea I think it was money well wasted.
Authorities plan to ask new questions of the family at the center of the balloon drama that captured the world's attention Thursday, as a comment in a CNN interview and other concerns raised speculation that the incident may have been staged.
The family chases storms and takes videos of some. The Heenes also were featured in March on the ABC program "Wife Swap."
After the Hollywood gossip Web site TMZ.com reported that the Heenes had been "pitching a reality show about the wacky family," one of the networks mentioned, TLC, which produces "Jon and Kate plus 8," said "they approached us months ago, and we passed."
Sava700 wrote:Well it would appear it most likely was staged... just as I thought something wasn't right and yea I think it was money well wasted.
It took you til now to figure that? The father is a media attention wh0re, could tell it was just about him wanting a second 10 minutes of fame soon as the story broke.
The shots of the balloon in the air..could clearly tell is didn't have any weight/ballast in it, bounced around as light as an empty mylar balloon would.
The over dramatics he did when the balloon supposedly "got loose" in the back yard.
The never being clear about a basket being attached to the balloon or not.
The guy is worse than that idiot on john 'n kate plus 8
MORNING WOOD Lumber Company
Guinness for Strength!!!
YeOldeStonecat wrote:It took you til now to figure that? The father is a media attention wh0re, could tell it was just about him wanting a second 10 minutes of fame soon as the story broke.
The shots of the balloon in the air..could clearly tell is didn't have any weight/ballast in it, bounced around as light as an empty mylar balloon would.
The over dramatics he did when the balloon supposedly "got loose" in the back yard.
The never being clear about a basket being attached to the balloon or not.
The guy is worse than that idiot on john 'n kate plus 8
i had my thoughts about a incomplete story to start with when all the news agencies were covering it and not giving more information than what they were getting.... and as you pointed out the ballon didn't look like it anything on it to support holding a cat carrier let alone a boy of around 60lbs.
I hope they get major jail time for that... who knows what lives they put in danger trying to catch this ballon.
Three days after the world watched a giant balloon fly through the air as a tearful family expressed fears that their 6-year-old boy could be inside, authorities announced what millions already suspected: The whole thing was staged. "It has been determined that this is a hoax," Sheriff Jim Alderden of Larimer County, Colorado, said today.
It was carried out by a couple who met "in acting school in Hollywood" and "put on a very good show for us," Sheriff Jim Alderden of Larimer County said Sunday. Authorities know there was "a conspiracy" between Richard and Mayumi Heene, he said.
"It has been determined that this is a hoax," the sheriff said, adding police "believe we have evidence at this point that it was a publicity stunt" by the family in hopes of "better marketing themselves for a reality show at some point in the future."
The dramatic announcement included an admission by Alderden that authorities misled the media on Friday when they said they still believed it was not a hoax.
