The search continues for the last occupant of a hot air balloon that crashed in Virginia on Friday night.

NY Daily News reported that the balloon, which was flying as part of a pre-event to the now canceled Mid-Atlantic Balloon Festival in Caroline County, was carrying three passengers when it struck a power line.

Witnesses watched as the fire spread down to the gondola. At least two people leaped from the basket to the ground below.

"They were just screaming for anybody to help them," said witness Carrie Hager-Bradley, who saw the tragedy as she walked home from the store. "'Help me, help me, sweet Jesus, help. I'm going to die. Oh my God, I'm going to die.'"

So far two bodies have been found. According to the LA Times, one of the deceased was 65-year-old army veteran and hot air balloon pilot Lt. Col. Daniel Kirk. Kirk was a regular at ballooning events and had been piloting them for over a decade.

The other two passengers aboard the balloon were 44-year-old Ginny Doyle and 24-year-old Natalie Lewis. Doyle was the associate head coach of the women's basketball team at the University of Richmond. Her body was recovered in the nearby woods.

Natalie Lewis has yet to be found but is presumed dead. Lewis was a record setting swimmer from Buffalo's Nardin Academy. She was also serving as director of women's basketball operations at the University of Richmond.

"Words cannot begin to express our sorrow," University of Richmond's Athletics Director Keith Gill said in a statement. "We are all stunned by the tragic news. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their loved ones."

The LA times reports that since 1964, 114 people have died in hot air balloon accidents. From the year 2000 to 2011, five deaths have occurred due to a balloon striking a power line, tree or building. The National Transportation Safety Board is working to improve upon safety regulations and routine surveillance checks.

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