UP & ASTRAY
I got trapped on out-of-control hydrogen balloon for two days and floated for 200 miles after making stupid mistake
A MAN floated for 200 miles after getting stuck in a hydrogen balloon for two days after making a major blunder.
The bloke and his pal were looking for pine nuts to harvest from in a forest in Heilongjiang province, China, when they lost control of the balloon after failing to fasten it down.
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His friend managed to jump to safety - but the man, identified only by his surname Hu, was unable to.
Chinese authorities launched a huge search involving 500 cops and firemen for Hu as he floated away on Sunday, attached to the balloon.
It is understood the balloon drifted away as it had not been secured down.
Rescuers were finally able to contact Hu by phone on Tuesday after tracing his mobile phone signal.
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Incredibly, Hu ended up almost 200 miles from where he started after getting stuck on the balloon for two days.
Authorities told him to deflate the balloon as slowly as possible in order to land, according to state media.
Emergency crews found Hu, who is in his 40s, stuck in a tree in the Fangzheng region - close to the border with Russia.
He was suffering lower back pain and was taken to hospital.
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Hu told state broadcaster CCTV: "I almost gave up.
"Thanks to the rescuers, otherwise, I wouldn't be alive."
He added that he became hungry and cold during the ordeal, but was largely unharmed.
An official from the publicity department of the Hailin Forestry Administration confirmed the incident and said Hu remains in hospital.
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