The American team ‘Atlantic Explorer’ has crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a hydrogen gas balloon, completing a long-distance flight to Europe.
The team remained in continuous flight for three days before reaching European airspace. The open basket balloon journey from the United States to Europe was completed successfully, marking a historic achievement by pilots Brett Padgett, Peter Quinney, and Alicia Hempelman Adams.
In a separate incident, a hot air balloon accident in Brazil left eight people dead and thirteen injured.
The three-member team had taken off on 4 June in a gas-filled balloon from the United States and travelled over the ocean at an average altitude of 24,000 feet, with speeds reaching 80 kilometres per hour.
The purpose of the mission, according to experts, was not only long-distance flight but also the collection of air samples from around 8,000 feet. The team also reported success in identifying new micro-organisms and natural proteins.
The same American team had attempted similar missions in 2024 and 2025, but both were aborted due to poor weather conditions or gas leakage.
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