Manila: The Philippines has set the Guinness world record for the most sky lanterns simultaneously flown, a report reaching the capital said.
The Bombo Radyo said participants of the Light of Peace event on Friday released 15,185 sky lanterns at the University of the Philippines Football Field in Miag-ao in Iloilo province.
A total of 15,687 sky lanterns had been prepared for the occasion, however, not all of them flew because of defects and other reasons.
The event, which attracted a total of 10,000 people, had been organised by the Middle Way Mediation Institute to promote world peace.
Sienna Sobastikeynije, from Guinness World Records, personally validated the results of the new Philippines feat.
The Philippines achievement has bested a similar feat in Romania where 12,740 lanterns simultaneously floated in the air.
Sky lanterns floating in the air during the evening are a sight to behold as they appear similar to jellyfish in the sea.
They are basically small hot-air balloons made from very light paper that uses trapped hot gasses from tiny lighted candles to enable them to float through the atmosphere.
As much as they are nice to see, sky lanterns are also fire hazards especially when flown in urban areas where there is a high probability that the highly flammable balloons will get entangled.
