Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons

Therrin · 22nd April 2008, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Brazil priest carried aloft by balloons missing
Fund-raising stunt goes awry, but supporters hopeful

updated 1:48 p.m. PT, Mon., April. 21, 2008
SAO PAULO, Brazil - A Roman Catholic priest who floated off under hundreds of helium party balloons was missing Monday off the southern coast of Brazil.

Rescuers in helicopters and small fishing boats were searching off the coast of Santa Catarina state, where pieces of balloons were found.

Rev. Adelir Antonio de Carli lifted off from the port city of Paranagua on Sunday afternoon, wearing a helmet, thermal suit and a parachute.

He was reported missing about eight hours later after losing contact with port authority officials, according to the treasurer of his Sao Cristovao parish, Denise Gallas.

Gallas said by telephone that the priest wanted to break a 19-hour record for the most hours flying with balloons to raise money for a spiritual rest-stop for truckers in Paranagua, Brazil's second-largest port for agricultural products.

Some American adventurers have used helium balloons to emulate Larry Walters -- who in 1982 rose three miles above Los Angeles in a lawn chair lifted by balloons.

A video of Carli posted on the G1 Web site of Globo TV showed the smiling 41-year-old priest slipping into a flight suit, being strapped to a seat attached to a huge column green, red, white and yellow balloons, and soaring into the air to the cheers of a crowd.

According to Gallas, the priest soared to an altitude of 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) then descended to about 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) for his planned flight to the city of Dourados, 465 miles (750 kilometers) northwest of his parish.

But winds pushed him in another direction, and Carli was some 30 miles (50 kilometers) off the coast when he last contacted Paranagua's port authority, Gallas said.

Carli had a GPS device, a satellite phone, a buoyant chair and is an experienced skydiver, Gallas said.

"We are absolutely confident he will be found alive and well, floating somewhere in the ocean," she said.

"He knew what he was doing and was fully prepared for any kind of mishap."

Now *that* is a cool priest.

newguy18 · 22nd April 2008, 02:25 PM

Sounds like he knows how to have a good time.

quercus · 22nd April 2008, 03:43 PM

What some people do to get closer to god...

Eric Frei · 22nd April 2008, 09:39 PM

Blah!

That's nothing.

Jesus did it without balloons and he was dead. Darn wannabees!

Therrin · 22nd April 2008, 11:49 PM

Yeah but they found him 3 days later.

Let's hope someone stumbles across this guy. Seems to me he should've had an EPIRB with him. The ocean's a big place without one.

Eric Frei · 22nd April 2008, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Therrin

Yeah but they found him 3 days later.

Really, they found him after resurrection?! Do tell.

Therrin · 23rd April 2008, 12:01 AM

Uhhh.... damn. I think you're right. I was considering the whole "ascending into the clouds" type of deal as after the death. But you'd be more correct in relating that to the ressurection.

At least Jesus had some directional control, and his wings weren't made of wax either.

Eric Frei · 23rd April 2008, 12:05 AM

I wonder if he had to get some sort of permit or aviators licence? Cant have Airborne hacks can ya?

Therrin · 23rd April 2008, 12:12 AM

I can just see the Sanhedrin not granting him one...

oh you mean that priest guy? Yeah I dunno. Like the things says, some guy did it back here in Los Angeles quite a while ago. Used a lawn chair. Took up a BB gun with him to shoot out the balloons one by one so he could descend.
Apparently an airplane saw him up in the clouds, chillin on this lawnchair held up by balloons and carrying a gun and someone radio'd in his position to the authorities. I think he got in some kind of trouble, but he'll be remembered forever.

You've gotta have some real juevos to pull off a stunt like that.

Eric Frei · 23rd April 2008, 12:16 AM

I wonder if Aerial packed his chute if he was carrying?

Therrin · 23rd April 2008, 12:21 AM

Let's hope it wasn't so far back in the day that he was just learning that too. I'd think that hackers in the 'chute-packing field might go unnoticed for lack of warm bodies to point the finger afterwards. Unless it was your own of course... that'd cure ya.

I don't think the gent in the lawnchair even had a chute. Maybe a seatbelt though. Ya know how strict they are about that seat-belt law here in California

Eric Frei · 23rd April 2008, 12:41 AM

LOL

Imagine the OHS people.

Where the risk assessment and your co-pilot? You're find MOFO!

You know, we had this joke here years ago.

How many Irishmen to change a light globe? Like 100 etc.

Soon be ... how many arborists to cut down 1 tree?

Therrin · 23rd April 2008, 12:53 AM

Exactly.

Untrained workers create huge amounts of risk for something that can have decent risk-management on its own. It creates reams of yellow tape for the people trying to get the job done and makes it damn near impossible to not break a rule, as well as more expensive.

newguy18 · 23rd April 2008, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Therrin

I can just see the Sanhedrin not granting him one...

oh you mean that priest guy? Yeah I dunno. Like the things says, some guy did it back here in Los Angeles quite a while ago. Used a lawn chair. Took up a BB gun with him to shoot out the balloons one by one so he could descend....

You've gotta have some real juevos to pull off a stunt like that.

That just screams genius to me.

newguy18 · 23rd April 2008, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

LOL

Imagine the OHS people.

Where the risk assessment and your co-pilot? You're find MOFO!

You know, we had this joke here years ago.

How many Irishmen to change a light globe? Like 100 etc.

Soon be ... how many arborists to cut down 1 tree?

I know I knowits 1,335,
one arborist to condemn it,
one to argue and find a way to save it,
one to supply a way oversized saw
The rest of treeworld to say we want a video.

Therrin · 23rd April 2008, 01:50 AM

Good one NG!!!

22nd April 2008, 02:25 PM	#2
newguy18 Part of the Furniture Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: orlando,fl Posts: 4,977	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons Sounds like he knows how to have a good time. __________________ Have your say join us today. old schooler

22nd April 2008, 03:43 PM	#3
quercus Mature tree Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: belgium Posts: 368	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons What some people do to get closer to god...

22nd April 2008, 09:39 PM	#4
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,820	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons Blah! That's nothing. Jesus did it without balloons and he was dead. Darn wannabees! __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

22nd April 2008, 11:49 PM	#5
Therrin Former Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bakersfield, Ca Posts: 2,512	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons Yeah but they found him 3 days later. Let's hope someone stumbles across this guy. Seems to me he should've had an EPIRB with him. The ocean's a big place without one.

23rd April 2008, 12:01 AM	#7
Therrin Former Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bakersfield, Ca Posts: 2,512	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons Uhhh.... damn. I think you're right. I was considering the whole "ascending into the clouds" type of deal as after the death. But you'd be more correct in relating that to the ressurection. At least Jesus had some directional control, and his wings weren't made of wax either.

23rd April 2008, 12:05 AM	#8
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,820	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons I wonder if he had to get some sort of permit or aviators licence? Cant have Airborne hacks can ya? __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

23rd April 2008, 12:12 AM	#9
Therrin Former Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bakersfield, Ca Posts: 2,512	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons I can just see the Sanhedrin not granting him one... oh you mean that priest guy? Yeah I dunno. Like the things says, some guy did it back here in Los Angeles quite a while ago. Used a lawn chair. Took up a BB gun with him to shoot out the balloons one by one so he could descend. Apparently an airplane saw him up in the clouds, chillin on this lawnchair held up by balloons and carrying a gun and someone radio'd in his position to the authorities. I think he got in some kind of trouble, but he'll be remembered forever. You've gotta have some real juevos to pull off a stunt like that.

23rd April 2008, 12:16 AM	#10
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,820	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons I wonder if Aerial packed his chute if he was carrying? __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

23rd April 2008, 12:21 AM	#11
Therrin Former Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bakersfield, Ca Posts: 2,512	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons Let's hope it wasn't so far back in the day that he was just learning that too. I'd think that hackers in the 'chute-packing field might go unnoticed for lack of warm bodies to point the finger afterwards. Unless it was your own of course... that'd cure ya. I don't think the gent in the lawnchair even had a chute. Maybe a seatbelt though. Ya know how strict they are about that seat-belt law here in California

23rd April 2008, 12:41 AM	#12
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,820	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons LOL Imagine the OHS people. Where the risk assessment and your co-pilot? You're find MOFO! You know, we had this joke here years ago. How many Irishmen to change a light globe? Like 100 etc. Soon be ... how many arborists to cut down 1 tree? __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

23rd April 2008, 12:53 AM	#13
Therrin Former Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bakersfield, Ca Posts: 2,512	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons Exactly. Untrained workers create huge amounts of risk for something that can have decent risk-management on its own. It creates reams of yellow tape for the people trying to get the job done and makes it damn near impossible to not break a rule, as well as more expensive.

23rd April 2008, 01:50 AM	#16
Therrin Former Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bakersfield, Ca Posts: 2,512	Re: Priest missing, taken aloft by balloons Good one NG!!!

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