Balloon Passes Safely Over Iraq

The round-the-globe voyage of three intrepid balloonists took them Sunday into the no-fly zone over Iraq, making them a hard-to-miss, slow-moving target in the political hot spot of the world.

After five tense hours over Iraq, the three-man European crew drifted unscathed across the border into Iran, their team in Geneva said.

The Breitling Orbiter 2 balloon, unable to make contact with air traffic control in Baghdad, had crossed into Iraqi airspace without final permission.

The balloonists spent 30 minutes over Iraq before receiving clearance.

The route took them over Baghdad. At the mercy of the winds, the balloon also crossed briefly into the northern no-fly zone, where U.S.-led air patrols fly to safeguard Kurds against Saddam Hussein’s forces.

The crew informed U.S. authorities that their balloon would be entering the no-fly zone but received no response, the control center said.

The balloonists may face another clearance problem before they can become the first to circle the globe nonstop in a balloon. China so far has refused them flight permission. They are heading directly for China.