The Los Angeles Twittersphere was bombarded Thursday afternoon with users watching what was believed to be a 6-year-old flying in homemade balloon aircraft in Colorado.
Right before the landing, Trendsmap showed "helium," "balloon," "floating," "experimental," "aircraft" and "homemade" as some of the biggest Twitter keywords across Los Angeles.
- A 6-year-old climbed into a balloon-like experimental aircraft and floats away: FOR REAL! http://bit.ly/CHeC4 -@Ripleys90028, Hollywood CA
- Breaking: A Six-Year-Old Is Trapped In A Homemade Helium Balloon Over Denver http://bit.ly/4hUpaP -@ianbrowncc, Los Angeles
- Boy, 6, floats away in homemade balloon in Colo. http://bit.ly/2gKpjm -@twitandrew, Anaheim
- Watching this intense rescue of a kid in a balloon... -@ady2phaty, Sherman Oaks, Ca
The high-flying drama lasted for more than an hour, as live video showed the flying saucer-shaped balloon floating through the air. Hashtag "#saveballoonboy" skyrocketed to the top of Twitter's trends -- not just in LA, but across the entire network.
After landing about 12:38 p.m., a swarm of rescue workers approached the balloon and began to force the air out.
But the boy was not in the balloon, and now there are reports that the basket attached to the balloon may have fallen off, according to KUSA-TV.
- he ain't in it! we were all watching a stupid balloon floating around for an hour. suckahs! -@roxannima, Fullerton, Orange County
- 6 year old boy floating in the sky, rescue efforts underway! http://bit.ly/20nQhx -@maryngo, Long Beach
For the latest information on the story, read MSNBC: "Balloon crash-lands in Colo.; no sign of boy"
