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World-record 456 hot air balloons take flight at French festival

By Daniel Uria
A total of 456 hot air balloons launched into the air in a linear formations to claim two world records at the biannual Mondial Air Balloons festival in France. 
 Screen capture/Pilatre de Rozier Organisation/YouTube
A total of 456 hot air balloons launched into the air in a linear formations to claim two world records at the biannual Mondial Air Balloons festival in France. Screen capture/Pilatre de Rozier Organisation/YouTube

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July 28 (UPI) -- Hundreds of hot air balloons took to the skies in pursuit of two world records at a biannual festival in France.

A total of 456 balloons simultaneously floated in a line during the Mondial Air Balloons festival at an airbase in Chambley-Bussieres on Friday.

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Poor weather in the area postponed the record attempt twice throughout the week until the colorful balloons representing pilots from 45 different nations successfully launched at about 9 a.m., the Local reported.

It took about 45 minutes for all of the balloons to rise into the formation as they attempted to set records for number of balloons aligned and number of Cloudhoppers, or one-person hot air balloons.

The team successfully broke the record they set at the festival two years ago, when they launched 433 balloons.

"We are constantly progressing; it is of great pride, because we've held this record many times," event organizer Philippe Buron-Pilatre said.

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