Canadian goes airborne in lawn chair lifted by helium balloons
More than 100 helium-filled balloons were tied to a lawn chair on Sunday evening.
(Reuters) - A Canadian man who parachuted from a flying lawn chair powered by helium balloons was facing police charges on Monday.
Daniel Booria of Calgary was charged with mischief after he tied more than 100 helium-filled balloons to a lawn chair on Sunday evening, strapped a parachute on his back and set sail over the city in a publicity stunt intended to advertise a cleaning-products company.
The 26-year-old was intending to steer the improvised aerial device over the Calgary Stampede, the city s annual rodeo and festival that attracts over a million visitors a year, with an eye to parachuting onto the grounds.
He was blown off course and jumped on a field nearly 2 km (1.2 miles) west of his intended destination where he was met by police and arrested.
"It was the most fun thing I ve ever done," the man told the Calgary Sun newspaper, saying the stunt used a C$20 ($15.80) lawn chair from a hardware store and balloons bought online.
The chair was found near High River, about 65 km (40 miles) south of Calgary.
