Rescuers searching for a Brazilian priest who was attempting a world ballooning record have found a cluster of his brightly coloured inflatables floating miles out to sea - but no sign of the missing man.

The Roman Catholic priest took off on Sunday strapped to 1,000 helium-filled party balloons in a bid to break a 19-hour flight record and raise money to build a spiritual rest-stop for truckers in Paranagua, southern Brazil.

Emergency services spotted the balloons last night, raising hopes that Father Adelir Antonio di Carli would be found clinging to them, but crews were disappointed when they reached the multi-coloured debris in shark-infested waters.

Father di Carli, 41, who has taken jungle survival and mountain climbing courses, was carrying enough drinking water and cereal bars to stay alive for at least five days

He was wearing a helmet, aluminium thermal flight suit, water-proof overalls and a parachute.

“Given his physical condition and the equipment he was carrying, I would say there is an 80 per cent chance that he is still alive,” said Johnny Coelho, commander of the Penha Fire Department, which is searching for the priest.

Mr Coelho suggested that the priest may be floating in the ocean or resting on a beach or forest-covered mountain along the coast.

The priest, an experienced skydiver, also had a GPS device, satellite phone and buoyancy chair with him.

“He last used the phone and GPS on Sunday at 8:45 pm to let the Navy know his location,” Mr Coelho said. “We haven’t heard from him since.”

In his last contact with police on Sunday night he said that he was encountering problems.

Father di Carli was reported missing about eight hours after taking off when he lost contact with port authority officials. Bad weather forced his makeshift contraption out to sea off Brazil’s southern coast.

The priest embarked on a similar adventure on January 13, when he used 600 balloons to carry him on a four-hour journey from the town of Ampere to Argentina, where he landed safely after reportedly reaching heights of 5,000 metres.

Parishioners at his Sao Cristovao parish maintained a vigil for Father di Carli today, praying for him and remaining confident that he would be found alive.