(NewsNation) — Trapped by a “horseshoe of fire” on Maui, Annelise Cochran drove through a pitch-black cloud of smoke to reach the only point of safety she could find: the ocean.

Cochran, a Lahaina resident, spent seven hours near an ocean rock wall with neighbors, fighting through hypothermic conditions as she waited to be rescued from the wildfires that have killed at least 99 people.

“When the cars began to explode, me and the neighbor I was with, Edna, put our faces as close as we could to the surface of the water, because it was the only spot that we could find a fresh breath of air,” Cochran said Tuesday on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”

Officials have confirmed 99 deaths from the fires, with teams still searching for bodies.

Crews using cadaver dogs have scoured about 25% of the search area, police Chief John Pelletier said Monday. Gov. Josh Green asked for patience and space to do the search properly as authorities became overwhelmed with requests to visit the burn area.

While some others around her waded deeper into the ocean to escape the smoke and flames, Cochran stayed in shallow waters, just deep enough so as to be able to lay down and submerge her body up to her neck.

After about five hours, she said she began to feel hypothermic and at points felt like she was losing consciousness.

“I thank God for the woman that was with me, Edna. We constantly reminded each other of things all night … we kept each other awake,” Cochran said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.