Italy ends search for missing American balloonists

CNN World ^ | October 4, 2010 | CNN

[CedarDave]

(CNN) -- Authorities in Italy have called off the search for two Americans who went missing during a hot-air balloon race.

The search ended Monday afternoon and will not resume, said Massimo Maccheroni of the Italian coastal guards. No balloon debris was found during more than four days of searching, he said.

A balloon carrying Richard Abruzzo of New Mexico and Carol Rymer-Davis of Colorado over the Adriatic Sea near Italy made a rapid descent during rough weather, conditions that would make their survival "unlikely," race organizers have said.

"This is very pessimistic information," said a statement from the race organization, Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett.

Race officials from the competition said they lost contact with the balloon as it was over the sea Wednesday morning.

Croatian boats searched Croatian waters, Maccheroni said.

Officials looked at transponder readings ... The data showed the balloon had a "moderate descent rate initially which then increased into a high rate of descent, to around 50 miles per hour."

"It is the opinion of the Gordon Bennett 2010 Flight Control Team that the balloon appears to have suffered a sudden and unexpected failure," the statement read. "The cause of this tragedy is still being examined."

[CedarDave]

They were flying a hydrogen balloon in a lightning storm. One (and maybe the most likely) scenario is that they were descending to escape the storm when they were hit and the balloon exploded. According to the Italian Coast Guard, the wreckage would be hard to locate due to strong sea currents in the area.

[CedarDave]

NM list PING!

(The NM list is available on my FR homepage for anyone to use. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list. )

[righttackle44]

So very sorry. RIP, Team.

[LatinaGOP]

God bless their families.

[greyfoxx39]

That’s so sad.

[JouleZ]

“This is very pessimistic information,” ....

***********

Wow, very pessimistic indeed. Sorry, Italy and Croatia, but Americans don’t give up so easily. The miners in S.A. are still alive as could be the balloonists! Wrong answer!