Russian adventurer Fedor Konyukhov broke the record for flying solo in a balloon around the world Saturday, flying over Perth 11 days after he left, it was reported.
Konyukhov, 65, completed his 34,000-kilometre circumnavigation of the planet soaring high over Perth shortly after 1pm local time (0500 GMT), broadcaster ABC reported.
He smashed,by two days, the previous record set by the late Steve Fossett, who left from the same spot in 2002 to fly 33,000 kilometres solo around the globe in 13 days eight hours.
Konyukhov’s 52-metre-tall balloon travelled at speeds up to 300 kilometres per hour in the jet stream between eight and 10 kilometres above the Earth in minus 56 degree Celsius temperatures.
His balloon flew eastwards from Perth over the Pacific, South America, the Atlantic, South Africa and the Indian Ocean back to Perth.
The previous adventures of the Russian Orthodox priest include rowing 16,000 kilometres across the Pacific Ocean in 160 days, walking to both the north and south poles, sailing solo around the world and climbing Mount Everest.