Hot air balloon catches fire over Virginia; search on for 3 people

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Police received eyewitness reports that two occupants either fell or jumped from the burning balloon after it struck the power line.

A witness saw the balloon in flames , "They were just screaming for anybody to help them.`Help me, help me, sweet Jesus, help. I'm going to die. Oh my God, I'm going to die,"' heard one person screaming.

"The thing blew up right there. All I heard was, `Oh my God, Oh my God,' and all you saw was the top of the balloon still flying, but all of the basket was gone. All of the flames just disappeared. ... It was like a match -- poof -- and then it was gone."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/05/10/hot-air-balloon-catches-fire-crashes-in-virginia/#
 
I used to think I wanted to ride in a hot air balloon but I've heard about so many accidents in the last couple of years that I'm no longer interested.

What a terrifying way to die. I hope they died instantly when they hit the ground so that there was no more torment.
 
“Shortly before 8 p.m. Friday (May 9, 2014), three hot air balloons took flight from Meadow Event Park as part of an ongoing hot air balloon festival. The balloons headed north of the park to a designated landing zone in a field off Ruther Glen Road. Two of the balloons landed there safely. During its descent, the third balloon came in contact with a live utility line. The contact sparked an immediate fire.

“The pilot attempted to regain control of the balloon and manage the fire. At one point, the balloon’s two passengers leapt from the basket/gondola. Then witnesses recall hearing an explosion and the fire continued to spread. The gondola and the balloon then separated."

http://news.fredericksburg.com/news...ir-balloon-crash-reported-in-caroline-county/
 
Reading the words of the screaming passenger gives me chills :( What a horrifying incident.
 
I'm baffled as to why they are having difficulty finding the wreckage, unless the brightly colored balloon totally burned I suppose.
 
Blondie in Spokane said:
"The two passengers aboard were seen jumping from the gondola to escape before it crashed."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/virginia-hot-air-balloon-crash-witnesses-heard-pleas-for-help/

Eyewitness video and interview at link....

I can't even imagine.......
Click to expand...

The story has been updated:

(Snip)

On Saturday afternoon, police announced that two of the three bodies had been recovered. Search teams worked throughout the night trying to find the wreckage.

-----

Truly terrifying.

:rose: :rose:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Pilot in Fatal Air Balloon Crash had 30 Years Experience

The pilot of the air balloon that caught on fire before exploding, leaving two dead and a third presumed dead, was an Army veteran with 30 years of ballooning experience, family said.

The father of pilot Daniel T. Kirk confirmed to NBC News that his son was the operator of the balloon that caught fire during a balloon festival Friday night in Virginia.

Donald Kirk said his son was a retired lieutenant Army colonel who served in the military for 37 years.

Friday's crash was "just a freak accident," Kirk said. He added that he had flown with his son more than 40 times and he was always very cautious.



http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ho...balloon-crash-had-30-years-experience-n102266
 
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/05/1...s-fire-crashes-in-virginia/?intcmp=latestnews

A family spokeswoman says a University of Richmond women's basketball team staff member was one of three occupants on a hot air balloon that crashed in Virginia.

Family spokeswoman Julie Snyder told The Associated Press on Saturday that Natalie Lewis' body was not one of the two bodies recovered by crews. Lewis was director of basketball operations at Richmond and a former player.
 
So deeply saddened by the latest updates posted by Blondie in Spokane. They paint a tragic, terrifying portrait of the last moments of those aboard the gondola.

I have a fear of heights, and can only tolerate them at high speeds. I can't imagine what they went through!

This is what nightmares are made of. My thoughts and prayers are with their family members, left with such profound loss. For the family of the missing, the agonizing wait must be torturous.

:praying:
:rose:
:rose:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Blondie in Spokane said:
Photo of the three immediately before they took off

'Getting ready to go up!': The final tweet from one of two women basketball coaches who JUMPED from flaming hot air balloon as another shouted 'Help me, sweet Jesus'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ing-three-people-crashes-bursting-flames.html
Click to expand...

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Dreadful. The pilot tried to get the balloon to drop but witnesses say it didn't, it just went higher and higher, very fast. I think the person they haven't found maybe stayed in the basket. I heard this as breaking radio news and hoped the passengers had jumped to safety. :(

Police were continuing to find 'items' before the search was called off, but not the balloon or the last victim. It may be very difficult - that fire would have burned very fiercely.

http://www.wcpo.com/news/national/virginia-hot-air-balloon-crash-1-body-recovered-2-still-missing
 
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