Watch 433 Hot Air Balloons Set a New World Record for Simultaneous Flight in France

A new world record for the number of hot air balloons soaring into the sky simultaneously has been set in France.

At an air base in Chambley-Bussieres, eastern France, on Sunday, enthusiasts from more than 40 countries set out in 433 balloons in a variety of colorful designs, reports Agence France-Presse.

The event beat the previous record for simultaneous hot air balloon flights, which was set in 2013 with 391 balloons.

Philippe Buron-Pilatre, organizer of the international Lorraine Mondial Air Ballons meeting, said “a new page in ballooning history has been written.”

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YouTube user Bart Lapers posted a video of the event to his channel on Sunday showing hundreds of balloons taking off, some in unusual shapes such as a castle or popular French cartoon character Obelix.

According to Buron-Pilatre, the biggest worry is if two balloons collide mid-flight and tear the fabric — something that has happened in the past.

[AFP]

Write to Helen Regan at helen.regan@timeasia.com.