December 18, 1998. Copyright, 1998, Graphic News. All rights reserved

BALLOON TRIO UNDAUNTED BY AIR STRIKES
By Margot Nesdale

LONDON, December 18, Graphic News: RICHARD Branson blasted off in his hot air balloon today unphased about flying within 50 miles of IraqÕs northern border in his latest bid to circumnavigate the globe.
The Virgin tycoon waved to the crowd from an open door in the capsule soon after it took off from the launch pad in the Moroccan capital of Marrakesh at 9.23am GMT.
The ICO Global balloon rose to about 300ft, where it dipped briefly before continuing its climb towards its floating altitude of around 30,000ft, which it will reach in several hours.
ÔWeÕve all got parachutes,Õ he joked yesterday at the launch site.
ÔOurs is a peaceful mission.. I would appreciate it if they (the U.S. and Britain) are sending any missiles to keep us in mind. We will not get in their way.Õ he said.
Branson and his fellow millionaire, Steve Fossett, and their pilot, Per Lindstrand, could be near the no-fly zone within 48 hours of take-off. 
Branson earlier dismissed any thoughts that the flight would be postponed because of the airstrikes, saying the team felt the risks were acceptable.
ÔWe have a window that takes us around the world very fast, and thatÕs something we are not going to pass up. We feel confident we can stay out of the war situation.Õ he said.
They hope the jetstream will take the balloon past Iraq at about 120mph and expect to be near the war-torn country for about two hours.
Flight technicians say the chances of the balloon drifting off course are slim. Should they drift into the airstrike zone, they would be at a similar altitude to American reconnaissance planes Ð about 30,000ft Ð and higher than other warplanes operating at up to 20,000ft.
If the jetstream carries them according to plan, the balloon will cross the Atlas Mountains to Algeria, Libya and the tip of Syria.
It will then skirt Iraq and Iran, and cross Turkmenistan, Afganistan, Pakistan, India, Burma and Laos en route to the South China sea.
The team hopes then to cross the Pacific to America. Branson hopes they will land in his Oxfordshire garden on New YearÕs Eve.
They are one of eight teams competing in a race to circumnavigate the globe by balloon.
In a similar attempt last year, BransonÕs balloon snapped free of its guy ropes and flew off without him.
Virgin is not the main sponsor this time Ð its logo plays second fiddle to ICO, a telecommunications company part owned by BT, which is putting 12 satellites up in space to create a global mobile phone network.
Steve Fossett joined the trio after narrowly failing in his solo effort to circle the globe when he crashed into the South Pacific in August.
/ENDS

Sources: ICO, The Guardian (London)