Two ballooning Brits have abandoned their quest to fly across the Atlantic after technical issues forced them to land in Newfoundland Friday morning.
U.K. residents Mike and Deborah Scholes lifted off from a New Brunswick field on Thursday morning in a Rozier hot air balloon, bound for the other side of the ocean.
They hoped to cross the Atlantic in about six days, with the balloon’s trajectory and landing spot determined by the direction and speed of the winds.
But their Facebook page says they had to land unexpectedly in central Newfoundland after just 19 hours of flight because of an unspecified technical problem.
The post says it would have been unwise for them to continue their journey but adds that the “setback” has not dampened the couple’s adventurous spirits.
The experienced balloonists had been grounded in Sussex, N.B., for nearly seven weeks before their Thursday takeoff, due to weather and even air force operations overseas.
Getting to the day they had planned in their hearts since before COVID-19 had been an emotional journey.
Mike, who would have become the first registered blind person to crew a balloon across the Atlantic, only recently recovered from a serious health scare.
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“Having had something as severe as bowel cancer it does reinforce the fact that we are mortal and we cannot go on forever and I thought we really got to get on and do it,” he said.
At lift-off time, the balloon was surrounded by a crowd of supporters who had basically adopted the grounded couple.
“It is great that some people have come to see us,” Mike Scholes said.
“Just like everyone else, I am super excited and so happy it is happening for Debbie and Mike,” said Sussex resident Katherine Gish, who befriended the couple. “I am going to miss them. They are friends.”
On Thursday morning, they finally got the all-clear for lift-off, making their way to the ocean.
“We have a few hundred miles over land and if we don’t like it, we can land,” Mike said.
Deborah, who would have become the first female balloon captain to make the voyage across the pond, was due to celebrate her 50th birthday floating over the ocean.
“We will enjoy the celebration with a cup of tea or a cup of coffee because we cannot have any alcohol while we are flying,” Mike said.
— with files from Global News’ Shelley Steeves
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