Search Expanded for Missing U.S. Balloonists in Adriatic Sea

VIESTE, Itaty, Oct. 1, 2010— -- An international search has been expanded for two American balloonists, lost over the Adriatic Sea on the eve of a major world balloon festival.

Veteran pilots Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis wereparticipating in the 54th Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race whencontact was lost Wednesday. Since then, search and rescue teams with the Italian coast guard, the U.S. Navy and Croatian coastal aircraft crews have been scouring the area around Croatia's distant, uninhabited islet of Palagruza.

Four Italian coast guard vessels from ports up and down the Adriatic, as well as a coast guard plane and helicopters have scoured 1,500 square miles of the sea. American planes, responding to requests from Italian authorities for help, are joining the search according to State Department Officials.

On Friday, Italian coast guard spokesman Massimo Maccheroni told ABC Newsph that some objects were found water. They were picked up, photographed and sent to the organizers of the race via email but none so far have been identified as belonging to the balloon.

Admiral Salvatore Giuffre of the Italian Navy has taken charge of a command center located in Bari, about 70 miles south of the last known location of the U.S. team's balloon.

Despite the growing concern after two days of searching, Giuffre said the search would be intensified and expanded.

"The search is continuing; not stopping," he insisted.

Marina Haluzan, of the Croatian Ministry of Transport, told ABC News that the area where the balloon disappeared from radar, is a heavily travelled corridor for ship traffic.