Balloon-powered flight in South Africa honors Nelson Mandela

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A view of Robben Island

A man flew nearly 4 miles by balloon in South Africa, traversing the sea from Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, to Cape Town.

Held aloft by a mass of multi-colored balloons, Matt Silver-Vallance, 37, crossed the small section of the Atlantic Ocean in about an hour. He used an air gun and homemade spear to pop balloons to maintain equilibrium.

Silver-Vallance hoped to raise $1.1 million for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital.

See the story at Discovery News.