DENVER, (Reuters) – The flight of a home-made helium  balloon that touched off a frantic rescue attempt for the young  boy thought to be aboard was a publicity-seeking hoax, a  Colorado sheriff said yesterday.

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said the parents of  6-year-old Falcon Heene would likely face four charges in the  bizarre incident, which riveted television viewers across the  United States for more than two hours  on Thursday.

The airship took to the skies on Thursday morning and  Richard and Mayumi Heene claimed that their son had climbed  aboard, triggering a massive search and rescue operation as the  odd silver craft drifted for 50 miles (80 km), trailed by U.S.  National Guard helicopters.

The boy was later found not in the flying saucer-shaped  craft but safe at home.