Tycoon tries again to circle world alone in a balloon

The adventurer Steve Fossett drifted high above the Australian coast yesterday in his sixth attempt to become the first person to fly solo around the world in a balloon.

Luc Trullemans, the mission's chief meteorologist, called atmospheric conditions "very great", with strong winds blowing from the west. About 12 hours into his flight, Mr Fossett had travelled nearly 700 miles (1,120km) and was drifting at 59mph just off Australia's southern shore, his mission control centre at St Louis' Washington University reported. Mr Trullemans said Mr Fossett would ideally reach New Zealand in two to three days, then cross the Pacific and reach Chile in six days. The adventurer's goal is to complete the trip in 15 days.

Mr Fossett, a 58-year-old investment tycoon, clambered into his small capsule around dawn wearing a parachute and crash helmet. Then, as winds that delayed his launch for hours dropped, he fired propane burners to heat the helium and air filling his 42m-high balloon and rose over this western Australian farming town.

In comments on the mission's website, the director Joe Ritchie described the launch as "almost spookily good" despite the wind. He said Mr Fossett's preparations had been meticulous and now he was dependent on high-altitude winds to propel his balloon 18,000 miles eastwards around the world.

Fossett holds world records in ballooning, sailing and aviation. He also swam the English Channel in 1985, came fourth in the Iditarod dog sled race in 1992 and drove in the 24-hour Le Mans race in 1996. He describes flying a balloon solo around the world as one of aviation's last great challenges.

Among hair-raising ends to his previous five attempts, he has plummeted out of the sky into the Coral Sea and been forced to ditch the balloon in a Brazilian cattle ranch. That attempt lasted 12 days, making it the longest solo balloon flight.

Mr Ritchie said the expedition's backers were undaunted by previous failures. "I think, maybe, we're all just dumb. I don't know," he said. (AP)