Adelir Antonio de Carli

Adelir Antonio de Carli (1966-2008) was a Brazilian Catholic priest, famous for going missing during an attempt at cluster ballooning on April 20 2008. Carli, an experienced skydiver, [cite news | title = Searchers look for Brazil priest carried away by balloons | url = http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5geOKyG0MVGdO4y7C1wpgT62mD7YQD9070OE01 | publisher = Associated Press | date = April 22, 2008 | accessdate = 2008-04-23] undertook the exercise in order to raise money to fund a spiritual rest area for truck drivers in the Paraná port city of Paranaguá.

Work as human rights advocate

Adelir de Carli first became famous in 2006 when he denounced human rights violations against beggars in Paranaguá. [ [http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/noticias/2006/10/17/materia.2006-10-17.4640611973/view Audiência pública vai discutir violência contra moradores de rua no Paraná] ] [ [http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/noticias/2006/10/16/materia.2006-10-16.5688566097/view Padre apresenta documentos que comprovam maus-tratos a moradores de rua em Paranaguá ] ] [ [http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/noticias/2006/10/11/materia.2006-10-11.9671339125/view Denúncias sobre tortura de moradores de rua serão comunicadas à ONU e à OEA ] ] [ [http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/noticias/2006/10/11/materia.2006-10-11.8731378399/view OAB considera grave denúncia de tortura de moradores de rua em Paranaguá ] ] [ [http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/noticias/2006/10/11/materia.2006-10-11.9454623205/view Ainda estão foragidos três acusados de tortura no litoral do Paraná] ] These denunciations caused seven Municipal Guard agents and the municipal security secretary to be arrested. [http://www.direitos.org.br/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1992&Itemid=2] [http://www.aenoticias.pr.gov.br/modules/news/article.php?storyid=23925]

Previous attempts at cluster ballooning

De Carli's goal for the cluster ballooning exercise was to break the 19 hour flight record and claim a new world record. His first attempt was on 13 January 2008, during which de Carli successfully completed a four hour flight from Ampere, Brazil, to San Antonio, Argentina.cite news | title = 'Flying' priest's balloons found | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7360416.stm | publisher = BBC News | date = April 23, 2008 | accessdate = 2008-08-02] cite news | title = Priest On Party Balloon Flight Missing | url = http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/22/world/main4036309.shtml?source=mostpop_story | publisher = CBS News | date = April 22, 2008 | accessdate = 2008-04-24] Using 600 balloons, de Carli reportedly reached heights of 5300 m (17,390 ft).cite news | title = Priest On Party Balloon Flight Missing | url = http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/22/world/main4036309.shtml?source=mostpop_story | publisher = CBS News | date = April 22, 2008 | accessdate = 2008-04-24]

April 20th attempt and disappearance

After taking off in a chair attached to 1000 balloons, Carli at one point reached an altitude of convert|6000|m|ft|0 before losing contact with authorities. Pieces of balloon were later reported floating in the sea off the coast.cite news | title = Brazil priest flying party balloons lost at sea | url = http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2228192120080422?sp=true | publisher = Thomson Reuters | date = April 22, 2008 | accessdate = 2008-04-24]

Carli's flight equipment included a parachute, helmet, water-proof coveralls, GPS tracking, mobile phone, satellite phone, flotation device chair, aluminum thermal flight suit, and at least five days of food and drinking water. His training for the stunt included jungle survival and mountain climbing courses, but apparently did not include instruction on use of his GPS - in a telephone call he made during the flight, he stated that if someone could just explain how to use his GPS he could relay his position to rescuers. Two days after the flight, a Penha (SC) Fire Department commander familiar with the situation put the missing priest's chances of still being alive at 80%.cite news | title = Priest On Party Balloon Flight Missing | url = http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/22/world/main4036309.shtml?source=mostpop_story | publisher = CBS News | date = April 22, 2008 | accessdate = 2008-04-24] However, the Brazilian Navy called off the ocean search on April 29, saying the chances of finding de Carli alive in the ocean were "very remote". [cite news | title = Brazil ends search for ballooning priest | url = http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/brazil_ends_search_for_ballooning_priest_545869 | publisher = Special Broadcasting Service | date = April 29, 2008 | accessdate = 2008-04-29] .

On July 4 2008, the lower part of his body (waist and legs) was found by an offshore oilrig support vessel. It was floating on the sea, about 100 km from Macaé, and it was initially identified by the clothing. On July 29 2008, DNA tests confirmed that it belonged to Adelir de Carli. The comparison was made with DNA samples from a priest's brother. [cite news | title = Identification of Adelir de Carli's incomplete body (in Portuguese) | url = http://oglobo.globo.com/pais/mat/2008/07/29/exame_de_dna_confirma_que_corpo_encontrado_em_macae_do_padre_adelir_que_desapareceu_quando_voava_com_baloes-547469896.asp | publisher = O Globo | date = July 30, 2008 | accessdate = 2008-07-30] .

Darwin Awards

In honour of Father Carli's efforts, he was posthumously awarded two Darwin Awards; one for the journey that led to his demise and one by virtue of his being a Catholic priest and thereby maintaining - in theory at least - a vow of chastity that would preclude procreation and reproduction [cite news | title = Adelir de Carli's Darwin Award - 2008 Winner | url = http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin2008-16.html | publisher = Darwin Awards | accessdate = 2008-07-31 ] .

ee also

*Bartolomeu de Gusmão
*Cluster ballooning
*"Danny Deckchair"
*Larry Walters

External links

* [http://www.neatorama.com/2008/04/22/brazilian-priest-takes-to-the-air-attached-to-helium-party-balloon-disappears/ News video of de Carli taking off and disappearing in the clouds]

References