Search Ends for Japanese Balloonist

[February 16, 2008]  ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- The Coast Guard is ending its search in the North Pacific for a Japanese hot-air balloonist missing since January 31.

Michio Kanda was trying to fly from Japan to Oregon.

An airplane searching Thursday about 400 miles south of Umnak Island in the Aleutians was unable to find the 58-year-old balloonist or debris.

Air searchers Monday marked the location of partially submerged white and blue cylinder-shaped objects and a tan object. The debris was not positively identified as Kanda's wreckage.

Kanda reportedly carried a survival pod, cold-weather survival gear and food and water.

The Coast Guard says a manually activated emergency locator beacon was never detected.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.