Fire damage is visible from the motorcade of US President Joe Biden as it passes through Lahaina, Hawaii on August 21, 2023.
Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images
Maui police and the FBI have released the names of 388 individuals who are still missing almost three weeks after the devastating wildfires destroyed the town of Lahaina.
The FBI compiled and verified this list based on information received from a reliable source with the missing individuals’ first and last names, as stated in a late Thursday statement issued by Maui County.
Maui County is urging the public to contact the FBI immediately if they can confirm the safety of any of the individuals listed as missing.
To view the list, visit Maui County’s website. The FBI can be reached at (808) 566-4300 or [email protected].
The release of these names coincided with Maui County’s lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric for damages resulting from their alleged role in triggering the wildfires.
The lawsuit claims that the utility company was negligent in not shutting off power despite warnings from the National Weather Service about elevated fire risks caused by high winds and drought conditions.
Maui County alleges that Hawaiian Electric failed to adequately maintain its utility poles. The county argues that the company’s decaying wood poles were severely damaged, posing a fire hazard during the high winds.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier acknowledged that sharing the names of the missing individuals would be painful for their families. However, he emphasized the authorities’ commitment to conducting a thorough investigation.
The FBI and Maui police have confirmed that more than 1,700 individuals initially reported as missing have been found safe and accounted for.
The death toll from the wildfires stands at 115. These Maui wildfires are the deadliest in the US in over a century and the worst disaster in Hawaiian history.
Pelletier cautioned that it is uncertain whether the remains of all the deceased will be found. He likened the search through the ruins of Lahaina to the recovery efforts at Ground Zero after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.
“Realistically, let’s be honest here, we are going to have a number of confirmed, we are going to have a number of presumed,” Pelletier said during a press conference on Tuesday. “I do not have that number now. We are going to work diligently to get that. It may take a while.”
“On 9/11, the remains of two thousand people were not recovered. While we may not have the same level of devastation as the towers, we have an entire town that has been destroyed,” Pelletier added.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
