Six-year-old boy feared floating away on homemade balloon found safe

Fort Collins, Colorado: A six-year-old boy has been found hiding in a cardboard box in his family's garage after being feared to have been aboard a homemade helium balloon that hurtled 50 miles (80 kilometers) through the sky on live television.

The discovery marked a bizarre end to a saga that started when the giant silvery balloon floated away from the family's yard Thursday morning, sparking a frantic rescue operation that involved military helicopters and briefly halted some departures from Denver International Airport.

Then, more than two hours after the balloon gently touched down in a field with no sign of the boy, Sheriff Jim Alderden turned to reporters during a news conference and said six-year-old Falcon Heene was at his house.

He said, "Apparently he's been there the whole time."