The hopes of parishioners for the survival of the Brazilian priest who went missing while attempting a world ballooning record have been shattered after his body was found in the sea.

A corpse was discovered by tugboat workers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro earlier this month, and police said today that DNA results confirmed it was Reverend Adelir Antonio di Carli.

Father di Carli went missing three months ago when he took off from the Brazilian port city of Paranagua while strapped to 1,000 coloured helium balloons.

The 41-year-old Roman Catholic priest was attempting to break a 19-hour flight record to raise money for a spiritual rest stop and worship centre for truckers in his local area.

The cleric was last heard of soon after his departure when he called friends to say he was crashing into the ocean.

A cluster of yellow, orange, pink and white balloons was found in the shark-infested waters a day later.

At the time of his disappearance, Father di Carli, an experienced adventurer, was carrying enough drinking water and cereal bars to stay alive for at least five days as well as a GPS device, satellite phone and buoyancy chair.

For several days after the priest's disappearance, rescue crews in boats, planes and helicopters scoured a vast stretch of ocean and densely forested mountains.

Church-goers from his Sao Cristovao parish had maintained a vigil for Father di Carli and prayed for his survival.

His brother, Moacir de Carli, yesterday said the news of his death came as a relief.

“Now we can have a respectable burial service,” he told the Agencia Estado news service.

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