Escaped brewery blimp prompts alerts for pilots

A 21-metre brewery blimp that broke free from a tether on the weekend and drifted into the sky caused Transport Canada to issue warnings to pilots in southern New Brunswick.

The red blimp, which is designed to look like a goal light that illuminates whenever a hockey team scores, broke from its tether at a Saint John ball hockey tournament on Saturday

The federal department said the Labatt Brewery balloon was last seen drifting slowly toward the northeast at an altitude about 1,200 metres.

The Transport Canada website says the helium-filled balloon was expected to descend somewhere near Sussex, N.B., but gave no indication when that would happen.

The department said it issued a notice to airmen.

As well, flight officials in Moncton and Saint John were warned about the balloon.

We will keep you posted if we hear anything more.