6-year-old boy floats away in balloon

[I<3bway]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:07pm

At first I thought he had just crawled into a regular hot air ballon contraption, but he is inside the balloon itself!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091015/ap_on_re_us/us_boy_in_balloon

And here's video of the balloon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHdu3xv9oXk

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:15pm

We've been watching live coverage in our office:

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

The boy's name is Falcon - how appropriate.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:15pm

I'm watching it as it occurs on tv. wow. The rescue effort is so difficult. We can only pray for the kid.

[danmag]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:20pm

I just turned this on!!!! This is so crazy!!!! I can't even imagine if my kid was floating away in a balloon!

[otis33]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:21pm

Watching CNN they're saying the boy may not even be in the balloon anymore. Horrifying! Sending good thoughts his way.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:22pm

What in the world? He's inside that thing? It's going so fast!!!! I hope he's ok!

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:26pm

the one thing on his side is how flat the terrain is.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:28pm

They're saying within a half an hour though he could reach the suburbs, which could make the landing worse.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:30pm

They are talking about how dangerous it is inside the balloon with the dangers of asphyxiation and hypothermia. The balloon appears to have lost a lot of helium, which means there may be a leak where the boy can get oxygen and the balloon may lower more quickly than they imagined.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:31pm

It's coming down pretty rapidly now though. Let's hope!

[Parks]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:32pm

I had just woken up from a nap when I saw this. I had to pinch myself about 20 times to make sure I wasn't dreaming this. So bizarre. Hope he ends up being ok! :-/

[StockardFan]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:35pm

Now they said that the family was recently on Wife Swap....I know exactly who they are now. The storm chasers....I totally remember them.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:37pm

It's landed!

[tazber]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:39pm

This is just freaking bizarre. How did the kid even get inside the balloon. Where are/were his parents?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:39pm

He's not in there...


So, where is he?!

Updated On: 10/15/09 at 03:39 PM

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:40pm

Tazzy..don't even get me started on that! Where the heck is the kid though?

[StockardFan]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:41pm

That's not good.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:42pm

uh oh. 1. why didn't they cut the thing open right away? 2. doesn't look like he's in there.

[tazber]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:42pm

Oh please god tell me he didn't fall out.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:43pm

Let's hope he started up the balloon, untied the ropes, then when he saw what was happening, ran away for fear of being in trouble.

[I<3bway]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:44pm

Is this the storm chaser dad and kids from Wife Swap? I just typed it into google and came up with this clip.

http://www.mixx.com/videos/8616866/youtube_richard_on_the_soup_from_wife_swap

Edit: Well that's just great. E! just took the clip down. Updated On: 10/15/09 at 03:44 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:45pm

I figured no one was in there, since the balloon was just floating and not jerking around as if someone were in it.

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:45pm

Moony...that sounds like what probably happened. I can't see a 6 yr old getting in that thing and untieing it.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:46pm

Moonie, they reported that his brother saw him go inside. Maybe he went back outside though.

[tazber]

Posted: 10/15/09 at 3:49pm

Good point, Diva. Weird.