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Nancy Abruzzo said she remained optimistic about the search for her husband
There is still no news on the whereabouts of two hydrogen balloon pilots who have been missing since Wednesday.
Americans Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis disappeared in thunderstorms over the Adriatic.
They were taking part in the Gordon Bennett Cup race, which launched from near Bristol on Saturday.
Speaking in Italy earlier, Mr Abruzzo's wife Nancy praised the rescue effort and said she remained optimistic.
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The search, led by the Italian Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC), is ongoing.
The Italian coastguard last had contact with the pair, who won the race in 2004, at 0800 local time (0700 BST) on Wednesday when they reported bad weather conditions.
On Thursday Rob Bayly, a member of the Abruzzo-Davis retrieve crew, said they were either in a life raft somewhere or their balloon was hit by lightning and exploded.
Mr Abruzzo, 47, from Albuquerque, is the son of balloonist Ben Abruzzo, who was part of the first team to cross the Pacific Ocean by balloon in 1981.
Ben Abruzzo was killed in a small plane crash in 1985.
Ms Davis, 65, is from Denver.
The MRCC search has been supported by the US military and Croatian and Greek search and rescue authorities.
The 19 other balloons taking part in the race had landed safely by Wednesday.
This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Nancy Abruzzo said she remained optimistic about the search for her husband
There is still no news on the whereabouts of two hydrogen balloon pilots who have been missing since Wednesday.
Americans Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis disappeared in thunderstorms over the Adriatic.
They were taking part in the Gordon Bennett Cup race, which launched from near Bristol on Saturday.
Speaking in Italy earlier, Mr Abruzzo's wife Nancy praised the rescue effort and said she remained optimistic.
Related stories
The search, led by the Italian Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC), is ongoing.
The Italian coastguard last had contact with the pair, who won the race in 2004, at 0800 local time (0700 BST) on Wednesday when they reported bad weather conditions.
On Thursday Rob Bayly, a member of the Abruzzo-Davis retrieve crew, said they were either in a life raft somewhere or their balloon was hit by lightning and exploded.
Mr Abruzzo, 47, from Albuquerque, is the son of balloonist Ben Abruzzo, who was part of the first team to cross the Pacific Ocean by balloon in 1981.
Ben Abruzzo was killed in a small plane crash in 1985.
Ms Davis, 65, is from Denver.
The MRCC search has been supported by the US military and Croatian and Greek search and rescue authorities.
The 19 other balloons taking part in the race had landed safely by Wednesday.
This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.