US runaway balloon lands in field

[Fawn]

Source: BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8309818.stm

A helium balloon which was floating over the US state of Colorado with a six-year-old boy reportedly inside has landed, in a drama broadcast on TV.
The mushroom-shaped silver balloon, apparently made by the boy's father, reportedly reached heights of 7,000ft.
The balloon was floating about 40 miles north of Denver as officials sought to work out a rescue plan.
It came down surrounded by rescue vehicles. It remains unclear whether the boy is inside the aircraft.
Earlier, Larimer County sheriff's office spokeswoman Cathy Davis told reporters earlier the balloon was owned by the boy's parents and tethered in the back garden of their home.
She said two sons were playing outside when the older boy saw the younger one climb in and the balloon fly away.
Live footage of the balloon, which was being tracked by media helicopters, showed it soaring high above the ground.
It has not been independently confirmed that the child is inside the balloon but he is believed to have climbed in through an access door.

What's the likelihood that big brother talked the wee one into jumping in then untethered the balloon?

[beer monkey]

A bizarre story......so the boy was not inside....did he fall out...was he even in there at the start, odd...

Notice the boys name...."Media reports said the boy had been named by local police as Falcon Heene"

'Falcon'....maybe he was destined to fly and is safe and well somewhere.

Any updates anywhere, has he turned up yet.....?

[Bandung_Dero]

Been played out on CNN. The family sound a bit weird. Boy still missing

I don't know much about balloons but it did not look big enough to carry much of a pay load!

[beer monkey]

Yeah good point.......
i did look at the video and agree it don't look man enough to carry some weight.

from reuters..

"The bottom of (the balloon) is contained and hasn't been breached," Eloise Campanella of Larimer County Sheriff's Department told CNN shortly after the balloon landed.

"So at this point we are thinking he did not fall out of it. He has to be somewhere on the ground near his home."

publicity stunt...

[Bandung_Dero]

The whole saga was a crock of ----. Media hype

[Shado]

The boy is safe. And yes, seems to be a lot of media hype.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091016/ap_ ... in_balloon

[Fawn]

Well beat my hairy bottom with a feather duster, it looks like you're right, chaps.

Check out this report from the Beeb:

Source: BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8310121.stm

The father of a boy thought to have been carried away by a helium balloon before being found at home has repeated denials that the incident was a hoax.
Richard Heene told US TV networks that the disappearance of his son Falcon, six, was not staged. Police say they intend to re-interview the family.
Falcon aroused suspicions by saying on air he had stayed hidden as his parents "said that we did this for a show".
Richard Heene and his wife previously appeared on reality TV show Wife Swap.
TV network ABC described them as a "storm-chasing, science-obsessed family".

It seems they found the wee fella in a box in the attic.

[banpaeng]

I can only hope that they (like all the rest that require rescue) are charged for this escapade. These folks have been on two reality shows and my guess wanted a bit more of the 15 minute fame. They launched to helicopters at $4600 per hour and countless law enforcement/emergency response personnel. Should run into the $100k when added up.

[Fawn]

All a bit bizarre. I'm just trying to work out the logic of the stunt, it seems he desired some form of sensationalism or media attention but how was Dad going to explain his small boy hiding in the attic? It seems the little lad didn't keep to his script either which is probably why the plan also went pear shaped. The whole episode is harebrained in my view.

I assume the Americans have some form of law that concerns the wasting of police time?

[beer monkey]

publicity stunt...

As I Thought.

They should certainly be charged and made to pay for the whole operation....but then they could sell their storys.!!!!

[banpaeng]

I am not sure how you can develop any other concept other than he wanted publicity. The father call the TV station before he call for emergency help. The father said he was not sure who to call.

It is common knowledge in the US to call 911. Would have to go look up the local TV stations number in the book. :-" :-"

[BKKSTAN]

I was watching CNN and they said that the father was an ardent ''I-reporter''!When I heard that,the possibility of a publicity motive crossed my mind!

But that would mean that he was possibly teaching his 6 yr, old son to lie and using him in a lie!

I would think 911 would have been the first call to make,for sure!

[beer monkey]

Not read any other reports apart from the one on here.....Is he suffering a backlash from this 'stunt' that has backfired, have people turned against him etc..?

[jimboLV]

Looks like the local sheriff is on to them. Then again, maybe he's up for re-election soon.

Larimer County Sheriff says charges likely in "balloon boy" incident


Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden indicated tonight criminal charges probably will be filed against one or both of the parents whose son was said to be aboard a wayward balloon.

Alderden said, given the seriousness of the incident, he is consulting with the Federal Aviation Administration and other federal agencies regarding potential federal charges.
The sheriff's office is obtaining a search warrant for the Heene home.

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20091 ... ++incident

[jimboLV]

For your further entertainment, if you click on the balloon boy article above in the Coloradoan, read the reader comments that follow the article. A laugh riot. Here's a sample, I think we should invite this guy to join the UM Forum

XXXXXwrote:
This whole farce, in and of itself, smacks of suspicion of a conspiracy cover-up. Is it true that the Heenes are good friends of the Obamas? Is this balloon-boy-boondoogle an orchestrated diversion to keep we-the-wee-people from questioning our corrupt, fraudulent government about why they continue to launder our money through the banks and insurance industries; about why they've sold our children and grandchildren's future to China. Perhaps Mr. Heene is merely trying to secure a Nobel Prize in Physics.
10/17/2009 9:40:33 PM

[Fawn]

This is a great story, now they're facing charges and even Federal charges (as Jimbo indicated above). I loved it when the reporters interviewed the missing small boy who said "we did this for a show".

I can't work out why Daddy is so hungry for publicity, unless he's an insane attention seeker. Maybe the Sheriff needs to bring in the men in white coats, not Federal Aviation.