Brazil priest flying party balloons lost at sea

Father Adelir Antonio de Carli sat in a harness-like seat from 1,000 helium balloons on Sunday afternoon and his intent was to fly for 20 hours due west. But the Brazilian priest ran into unexpected winds and he was carried out over the South Atlantic on a southeasterly course. The priest was last heard of on Sunday night when he used his cel phone to give his coordinates to Denise Gallas, coordinator of the parish where de Carli worked. Gallas said by then he was already over the ocean. De Carli lost contact after he flew for about 55 miles and he wanted to draw some attention to the work of his parish. His parish targets mostly truck drivers who transport goods to and from the port. On Tuesday rescue workers searched the coast farther south by boat and plane in hopes of finding the priest alive. All that was found were bits of balloons all along the coast. Rescuers say that the priest's seat was lined with air-tight pockets that could be pumped up. There are also seven different islands in the area where the priest could have washed up on. The priest reached an altitude of more than 16,000 feet and he had supplies such as water, cereal bars and energy capsules and during a test flight a few months ago he was blown across the border to Argentina. He could be anywhere and unfortunately if he is in the ocean and not washed up on shore than he will probably not be found alive.