US balloonist Mr Steve Fossett has broken the world record for the longest solo balloon flight, but the real prize of completing a round-the-globe journey was still distant yesterday.
Hampered by slow winds, Mr Fossett, a 57-year-old millionaire, was languishing over the Pacific Ocean near Chile 11 days after taking off from Western Australia.
On Tuesday, Mr Fossett broke the unofficial flight time record of 10 days and three hours alone in a balloon. The previous record, set in 2000, was not registered by the France-based Federation Aeronautique International, which verifies aviation achievements, because it has never officially recorded solo balloon flight times.
Ground team members were concerned about the lack of pace near Chile as oxygen began to run low in Mr Fossett's quest to become the first person to circle the globe solo in a balloon.
"We are going awfully slow at the moment," Mr Bob Rice, the mission meteorologist, said. The Solo Spirit balloon had slowed to an average of only 20 m.p.h., less than a third of speeds reached over the South Pacific last week.
The ground crew said Mr Fossett would have enough oxygen to get over the Andes mountains, but would need to fly lower later in the journey to conserve supplies.
"Fossett is now down to a four- or five-day oxygen supply, necessitating a change of strategy for the rest of the flight. He will fly at lower altitudes than originally planned," the mission's website said.
Meteorologists said Mr Fossett would reach the Andes tonight, two days late.