Search continues for balloon priest

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

SAO PAULO (AFP) — Brazilian coastguard vessels and aircraft on Wednesday continued a search at sea for a priest who went missing after floating away on the weekend attached to 1,000 giant party balloons.

Officials told media they were focusing on an area 50 kilometers (30 miles) off the coast of the southeast state of Santa Catarina after finding a few of the balloons floating in waters there on Monday and Tuesday.

So far there is no sign of Father Adelir de Carli, 41, who lifted off from town of Paranagua on Sunday, sitting in a harness attached to the white, red, yellow, green and pink balloons, and wearing a thermal outfit and helmet.

A known adventurer, with experience in parachuting and scuba diving, de Carli was trying to draw attention to his campaign...