Mile-High Mystery

" And it appears to be deflating and it's impossible to tell how far it is above the ground. But as the -- but I tell you this the chopper maintains it a pretty consistent altitude. And for a while we were looking up at this at this balloon and call me crazy but it looks to me like we're looking down at this balloon. So I don't know if it's actually losing altitude or if enough it's an optical illusion I'm just watching along with -- even giving you whatever observations. I have this is from -- NC now another of our affiliate there so it's it's not like it's right at the ground -- we have different we have different looks at it from different helicopters. But if we switch to the other live picture from K from -- MGH. I mean the shape has changed at LEC a good and Denver there's there's no question about that and he may be some of the Healy has moved from one side to the other. But this untrained I might say it looks like it might be deflated."

" Does it look at me like -- helium is busy moving from one side maybe the week -- shifted or something inside they -- vehicle. But the one side and -- compressing the other side appears to be actually all the what was then fifteen minutes ago."

" Oh -- seal what are you hearing from did release -- the newsroom in Denver police is watching this from they are getting a local reports. Yes we just talked to Eric Nelson of the Latimer county emergency management office. And he told us contrary to what we're all seen. That this was never designed to fly and obviously we're seeing it up in the air however with very disturbing is what he also said was. That that the bottom of the base where they believe the child is if he's back inside is made of very thin plywood. That would not survive a hard landing it's not sufficient this according to mr. Nelson of emergency management also we've been told by sheriff's deputies. That victims' advocates are now with the parents right now waiting. To hear news watching just like we -- and they obviously don't speak at this right now but that is the latest that we're getting that this is not designed to do what it's doing right now."

" I've just gotten from the Colorado National Guard that there apparently getting helicopter -- trying to see what they can do. To help the father is retired weather chaser untold. -- is so you know there there watching these gusty winds along. -- all the rest of us and watching what appears that I have you heard just a moment ago it's that we were switching from one helicopter view to another's what you're seeing here. What we're hearing a second ago is you know it's possible that the healing that is shifting from one side of the thing to the other which makes sense. And now it appears you but you could see one side is it's clearly collapse and that is -- was little -- okay. What do we see them."

" yet yeah ice that's more information from a separate. Entities from Weld County. Which doesn't mean anything to you but it's around the area that we're looking right now okay what we've been told is that right now that the craft is it about 8000 feet. And it appears to be holding at that altitude but again we're just talking it appears to be going up and down but. And again this is according to Weld County the -- participate. At this pace that it is going that it will cross into Adams county approximately one hour. It's heading south southeast now I can't tell you what that means I live in Adams county. That is north of Denver that is just north of Denver where the -- that's the suburbs of Denver essentially. You can get -- 20/20 five minutes and they're expecting it within the hour that this balloon will be in an area that we're talking about metro Denver within the hour. Be in metro Denver which means we're talking about yup which means we're talking about. Bigger trees were talking about buildings if it starts to come down we're talking about the freeway. We have interstate 25 we have interstate seventy. A number of highways all along that area because it's more populated yet more people more step in the way if it gets lower. But right now again it's maintaining according to Weld County officials 8000 feet at this altitude right now."

" 8000 feet it you know this summer saying it appears it's getting lowering -- we just don't have. We just don't have anyway of knowing any of that. -- to Margie Margie Martinez is the public information officer at the will county. Sheriff's office and you heard we -- in mentioning Weld County office officer Martinez is that right."

" Yet. Tell us. I feel for you because I just really. Frankly wouldn't know where to start what to do you know what what are you guys doing."

" Amp amp we have been. Hour and a half we've been tracking. Bike around and certainly would be local news helicopters by air."

" In 20. Maybe a little better than and we actually. Going into Adams county."

" Is there any thinking of trying to put a helicopter above this thing has forced it down -- it is our that would what are the thought process is like now."

" What a lot of -- and get it out. Yeah right now at that point in time we're. Work."

" It is tracking. -- balloon it -- we're not able but -- helicopter above but because of the way the wind and the --"

" Air -- it would actually probably is but that balloon ride into that helicopter itself."

" that not an opt in. To be able to do anything with the blue and Abbott. And it is in the air at this altitude."

" You can't confirm who who who blew the boy who supposedly in this thing is --"

" I don't actually have. A name of the family lived in Laramie county. That are resident resident Erin Fort Collins area. What we have the information from -- county is. Six year old son of the homeowner. Owner who made vehicle made balloon."

" Yeah that's what we have to it a lot of viewers are writing as saying you know there are places that are identifying this child they saw a chopper in the background. Places that are -- find this child we know is the son of of whether onetime weather chaser in the rest but. We don't think it's it's necessary due to rush to air with a name and it doesn't really mean that much to anybody -- news. He freaking people out with officer art or use our do you have children."

" I I do have a -- yes."

" I mean when you look at this and think about a six year old child suddenly flying across the the expansive Colorado adjust it makes my stomach sick."

" There's is you got to be an absolute terrifying. Event for the for the family. There are having. Watched their fans and we're watching it an -- yet as well lit been feeling very helpless at this point."

" You know I'm looking at a couple of different feeds and I don't know what channel you're watching on but I -- watching on what for local there would be channel seven. And channel Casey NC what is that Casey and slower channel four. Channel four's camera is a little wider right now that's what we're showing on our street -- it looks like he's come down an altitude. To me."

" I think there are that love delusion while the report that it came to have come down may -- thousand."

" 800 speeder so well maybe closer between six and 6500 feet at this point."

" Anybody who's ever been out there with the the way to ceilings are with clouds in the mountains in the distance -- is something that's very difficult. -- you know especially looking at the television to tell but but but officer when you look at this think it's clearly deflating I mean isn't it."

" Well it it -- to have that appearance everyone's wallet being -- on 15. Or another type thing and that may be as a result of these different. -- Of the air at that altitude and that particular out the period as I understand that if it hit that cold spot. That that may be the cause or -- bad inflation at."

" Yet that that that actually makes sense in there and there are -- pockets of air and anybody's ever flown a jet knows you. It's something with little turbulence a lot of time that's just to change in air temperature. Well I ask you you know you watch that thing and hope maybe it'll figure out -- maybe there's a little hole and it's gonna slowly deflate we've come to some sort of very good ending to this thing. But I mean we watched it for a long time without the air moving from what the helium moving from one side to the other that they kept a pretty. Consisted jiffy pop popcorn shape for awhile and outside doing that anymore I wonder if the winds have picked up two."

" Well that -- is obviously changing. -- thermal currents. At that altitude. And that's why it may be it appeared to be somewhat percolating. Or. Right thing and lowering and an altitude."

" You know we've been reporting here and it's now confirmed this thing was built as a sort of storm chaser balloon. That the the father I'm informed that the father and I don't know this but until this. The father of the six year old who's believed to be in the balloon is the weather chaser kind of guy. And a lot of folks do that out Colorado it's you know it's fun and interesting to people who renewed signs of an all. And he built this balloon in Cano gets it written in goes flying away by accident so you can -- now he must feel but this thing was built to track the weather."

" though about I understand it below that the caps just below the it was never intended for. A person to actually be in -- if I understand that he's safe. Below that is is not very big."

" No I owe me a little I would body -- part of it yet it is supposedly has a thin plywood bottom. At the art which looks like the pay and that the jiffy pop popcorn is you know that the part down it about right there. That that's -- believe the very thin plywood and the other a lot of concerns there won a hard landing would not be good. And and that the risk that falling apart because clearly has waited that it wasn't designed to have thankfully procedural vote in the way too much but. It weighs more that was designed to carry."

" Right right and it not and it's not all that well it capped the balloon that self."

" Will -- do."