There are so many things, so wrong about this story, I’m sure that “Tony” eventually thought this was a Hell of a Day to Quit Drinking.
And I quote:
A Brazilian priest who rode a bundle of party balloons into the horizon to set a flight record has disappeared.
Rev. Adelir Antonio di Carli took off Sunday from the coastal city of Paranagua in southern Brazil, buoyed by 1,000 helium-filled balloons.
Wearing a helmet, aluminum thermal flight suit, waterproof clothes and a parachute, he was attempting to break the 19-hour record of human flight by party balloons.
Eight hours after takeoff, di Carli was reported missing after he lost contact with authorities.
Rescuers said they have found the balloons floating in the ocean off the coast of southern Brazil but have seen no sign of di Carli.
Meanwhile, a flight instructor who expelled di Carli from flight school three years ago has publicly criticized the priest for his stunt, Gancia said.
“He called him undisciplined and an exhibitionist, and he was always bragging about his faith and how his faith was going to carry him and take him safely through his journey.”
He was carrying enough cereal bars and water to sustain him for five days and had a GPS device, satellite phone and buoyant chair with him.”What we’re hearing now is that he did not know how to use his equipment, the GPS, and he was ill-prepared for his flight.”
While di Carli had intended to drift inland, weather conditions forced him over the ocean. Authorities have also found the chair he was traveling in.
OK… jeeze, where do I start? How about key words: Priest, party balloon flight record, expelled from flight school, cereal bars, ill-prepared with his equipment, buoyant chair… I have to stop!
This kind of stuff just writes itself so I’ll let you figure it out.
And the Pope was having such a good week, what with his epic visit to the U.S. and his 180th birthday celebration and all.
Until now.
