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Body of third victim recovered after hot air balloon crash

It was a somber commencement at the University of Richmond as two staff members from the school, along with a pilot, perished when the hot air balloon they were aboard crashed
University honors victims of deadly balloon crash at commencement 01:36

DOSWELL, Va. - Searchers on Sunday found the body of the third victim from the crash of a hot air balloon that drifted into a power line, burst into flames and fell into a heavily wooded area in Virginia, police said.

Police have not released the victims' names, but family members and the University of Richmond said associate head coach Ginny Doyle and director of basketball operations Natalie Lewis were passengers on the balloon that crashed Friday.

Donald Kirk on Sunday said his son, Daniel T. Kirk, was piloting the balloon.

Dan Kirk
Dan Kirk Courtesy Mark Nelson
The website of Daniel T. Kirk's company says he had more than 20 years' experience as a hot air balloon pilot. The Starship Adventures site, which has since been taken down, also said Kirk had a commercial balloon pilot license issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Kirk was affectionately known as "Capt. Kirk," after the "Star Trek" commander played by William Shatner.

Steve Hoffmann, who said he built the Eagle balloon that Kirk was piloting and taught him to fly, called Kirk "one of the nicest guys in the world" and a consummate professional.

"He was very careful," Hoffmann said. "Something definitely went wrong. This is not the kind of flying Dan would do."

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Natalie Lewis, left, and Ginny Doyle were remembered Sunday at the University of Richmond's commencement ceremony. CBS News
At the University of Richmond, Sunday's commencement ceremony was a somber event as the campus mourned Lewis and Doyle, both members of the women's basketball staff.

Some graduates wore red ribbons in honor of Lewis and Doyle and the campus chaplain spoke of the deadly crash at the start of the crash.

Lewis, who was engaged to be married, had been a championship swimmer for Richmond, whose mascot is the Spiders. She was in her second season with the basketball program.

Flowers were placed outside her office, with a note signed "Spider Nation."

Doyle, 44, was a basketball star at the school before becoming associated head coach.

"There's not a person in this business that doesn't see Ginny as just a light," Joanne Boyle, now the coach at Virginia, said of Doyle, who was on her staff with the Spiders from 2002-05.

Witnesses to the crash described a harrowing sight on the special preview night for the Mid-Atlantic Balloon Festival, which was set to open Saturday. The festival was canceled. About 740 people attended the preview event.

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The hot air balloon crashed Friday after hitting a power line. CBS News
The balloon was among 13 that lifted off Friday night and was approaching a landing site nearby. Two of the balloons landed safely before the third hit the live power line, according to police.

The pilot attempted to retain control of the balloon and snuff the fire and two passengers either jumped or fell from the gondola, state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said.

She said another pilot interviewed by investigators described how the pilot tried to open vents to release extra-hot air in an attempt to keep the balloon from rising faster.

"Based on witness accounts, he did everything he could to try to save the passengers' lives," Geller said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the crash.

Troy Bradley, past president of the Balloon Federation of America, said most serious accidents on balloons - including fires, electrocution or baskets becoming severed - happen after hitting power lines. Most of the time it's due to pilot error, he said.

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