BALLOON RECORD

Press, Volume C, Issue 29506, 6 May 1961, Page 11

BALLOON RECORD

Flight Ends In Death

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) WASHINGTON. May 5. One of two United States Navy balloonists who soared to a record height yesterday met death later when he fell from the sling of a helicopter that had picked him up in the Gulf of Mexico. Lieutenant . Commander Victor Prather, of Maryland, died aboard the aircraftcarrier Antietam about an hour and 10 minutes after being pulled from the sea. His companion on the balloon flight, Commander Malcolm Ross, of Washington, was lifted to safety without any difficulty. The balloon had soared to about 21J miles above the Gulf. It was the greatest height above the earth’s surface ever reached by a manned balloon. The huge plastic balloon was launched off the mouth of the Mississippi river from the flight deck of the Antie-. tarn. It reached its maximum altitude of approximately 113,500 feet two hours and 36 minutes later at a point about 136 miles south of Mobile, Alabama. The Antietam followed the balloon as it drifted across the gulf on a southeasterly course. Navy officials in Washington reported that the'gondola landed on the water properly and the huge balloon detached itself as it had been designed to do. The gondola floated on the surface. Three helicopters proceeded at once to pick up the two balloonists. The Navy said Commander Ross was lifted by helicopter sling to safety without any trouble. As Lieutenant-Commander Prather was being hoisted into the helicopter he fell in some manner from the sling, the Navy said. He was encumbered with a space suit and instruments weighing about 251 b when dry. On hitting the water the suit would have further hindered his efforts to swim. Two Navy skindivers got to him in a few minutes but he was unconscious when pulled from the water and apparently never regained consciousness before dying aboard the carrier.