Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe FOLKESTONE, England, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Two French men have become the first to cross the English Channel in an electric-powered balloon, making the journey in two hours and 23 minutes. The men, TV host Gerard Feldzer and aeronautics expert Pierre Chabert, took off Wednesday morning from Cap Gris-Nez, France, in their Iris Challenger balloon, nicknamed the "Flying Fish" due to its resemblance to an airborne tuna, and landed in Folkestone, England, The Local.fr reported Wednesday. Advertisement Feldzer and Chabert had first attempted the trip in 2011, but they were foiled by poor weather conditions. Read More Canadian hot air balloonist dies in crash Member of Malibu's founding family dies in hot air balloon crash Amateur lawn chair balloonist gets stuck in tree Death toll rises to three in balloon collision in Turkey Hot-air balloons collide in Turkey; 1 killed, 24 injured Five rescued from ocean, two missing after Peru balloon crash