The balloonists landed near Paris

England have

Three Americans have made the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by hot air balloon.

Ben Abruzzo, Larry Newman and Max Anderson took six days to complete the flight from Maine in the US to France.

It was the second attempt for Mr Abruzzo and Mr Anderson after failing to complete the crossing last September in the first Double Eagle.

This time the three men travelled the 3,000 miles (4,800 km) in a 65-foot (20-metre) diameter gondola named The Spirit of Albuquerque powered by a helium-filled balloon.

It was equipped with a catamaran in case of an emergency sea landing as well as computers for navigation and radio gear for communication.

The Atlantic crossing was achieved officially at just after 2200 on 16 August when Double Eagle II crossed the Irish coast.

But the three pilots wanted to reach le Bourget airfield near Paris, where the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh had once landed.

However, windy conditions in France forced them to overshoot their target.

Instead they landed safely in a wheat field near Miserey about 60 miles (96 km) north west of Paris.

Passing motorists and nearby villagers flocked to congratulate the balloonists - all businessmen from New Mexico.

Souvenir hunters ripped pieces from the balloon before it was salvaged and packed for shipping back to the US along with the gondola.

The most recent attempt before the trio's success was made last month by two Englishmen.

They took off from Newfoundland in Canada but fell short of their goal, Brest in France by just over 100 miles (160 km).  

Hess was imprisoned after a trial at Nuremberg

The body of Hess, 93, was found in the grounds of Spandau Prison in west Berlin, where he had been held since his conviction in 1946 at the Nuremberg war crimes trial.

There are unconfirmed reports that he may have committed suicide.

For more than 20 years Hess was the only inmate at the prison after the release of Albert Speer and Baldur von Schirach in October 1966.

The Soviet Union - which had joint control of the prison with the US, Britain and France - would not agree to Hess being set free.

They argued that as one of the most senior figures in the Nazi regime he should have been executed.

Rudolf Hess was among the first to join the Nazi party in 1920.

He took part in the abortivecoup attempt in 1923 when Hitler tried to overthrow the Bavarian government and subsequently spent time in jail with the Nazi party leader.

After they were released in 1925, Hess became Hitler's personal assistant and private secretary.

By the time war broke out between Germany and Britain in 1939 Hess was a minister in the Nazi regime whose signature appeared on all new legislation.

In 1941 Rudolf Hess secretly flew to Scotland to try and negotiate a peace treaty but was arrested.

When news of his flight reached Germany he was disowned by Hitler.

Questions regarding Hess' sanity were raised both during his internment in Britain and his trial at Nuremberg.

It is expected his body will be taken to his hometown of Wunsiedel in Bavaria for burial once a post mortem has been carried out.

gondola: a hanging framework for people to stand in（吊籃；吊架）

abortive: unsuccessful;not developing（失敗的）

coup: a clever move or action that obtains the desired result（策略）

disown: to say that one has no connection with（斷絕關(guān)系）