Mickey Mouse owner surprised at balloon rescue

Here is a letter from the family who lost the Minnie Mouse that caused a major sea rescue response to be launched for ' a hang glider crash landing in the sea.' No one was more surprised than the family who lost the balloon!Dit was met groot verbasing dat ons in vandag se Burger gelees het, van die drama wat ons wandelende Minnie Muis partytjie ballon (sy het pienk aangehad met strik in die hare) gister aangevang het. Minnie was die ere gas by my dogtertjie se 4de verjaardag saterdag en hettot heelwat aandag en liefde in die daarop volgende dae gehad. Sy het die hele naweek in die huis rond gewandel tussen die vertrekke. Dinsdag oggend het my man die skuifdeur van die speelkamer oop gelos en Minnie het besluit dit is haar kans vir 'n buite wandeling. Die een oomblik wassy nog saam hier en die volgende was sy groot skadu oor die huis se dak.Met groot trane en versigtige verduidelikings het ons vir Minnie dop gehou waar sy al hoer teen die Twaalf Apostels op is. Selfs later was sy net 'n spikkeltjie deur die teleskoop.Ons vra onverskoning vir al die drama wat die onskuldige wandeling van Minnie veroorsaak het, en sal graag 'n donasie maak vir moontlike pyn en lyding wat iemand dalk deur gemaak het tydens die reddings poging.My dogtertjie was baie tevrede met die nuus dat die geel ski-boot tot haar Minnie se redding gekom het, en wou net weet of sy nou gaan huis toe kom.Baie dankie vir al jul goeie werk.Minnie Muis familie......................................................................................................Original story:Llandudno Tuesday 29th November 2011. Hout Bay launch for Mickey Mouse:At 13h47 Hout Bay volunteer duty crew were called out following reports of a hang-glider plunged into the sea at Logies Bay, which is on the Bakoven side of Llundudno.Our duty crew launched the sea rescue boat ALBIE MATTHEWS and Hout Bay volunteer EMS paramedic Mark Muller and NSRI Hout Bay crewman Shaun Thomas responded to the scene by road.Metro EMS and the Metro Red Cross AMS rescue helicopter were placed on alert.The eye-witness, a Llandudno resident, reported seeing the hang-glider plummeting into the sea and also reported seeing what appeared to be the hang-glider survivor slowly swimming ashore. He then confirmed that it appeared as if the hang-glider survivor was now lying motionless on the rocks.Mark and Sean reached the location of the 'emergency' after negotiating some barely accessible terrain, only to find a large party balloon, in the shape of a Mickey Mouse, lying on rocks.This was a case of mistaken identity and we suspect that the afternoon sun against the balloon may have given the impression of being a hang-glider to the eye-witness!This operation is classed as a 'False Alarm with Good Intentions' and NSRI encourage members of the public who suspect any person to be in difficulty to call NSRI without delay in order that we can investigate the matter properly.It is not known where the Mickey Mouse balloon came from.