New FBI-validated list includes names of 385 people unaccounted for after Lahaina wildfire
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The FBI’s validated list of people who remain unaccounted for following the Lahaina wildfire now includes 385 individuals, authorities announced Friday night.
That’s just three fewer people than where the list stood last week.
Officials said after releasing the full list of validated names, some 245 people were removed — either because they were reportedly found safe or confirmed to have perished.
SPECIAL SECTION: Maui Wildfires
Of that first FBI-generated list, 122 remain unaccounted for.
But authorities have also also added to the list with new reports, bringing the number back up.
The FBI-validated list is in addition to lists compiled by other organizations, which counted the missing at more than 1,000. The FBI list, however, only includes people for whom authorities have a first and last name and contact information for the person who reported the missing persons case.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said in a video statement that a new FBI-validated list will be released each Friday. He also stressed the importance of providing a DNA sample if you have a missing relative. DNA samples can be provided at the Family Assistance Center in Kaanapali.
“We need you, the public, to help us in this effort,” Pelletier said.
The new list of missing persons can be found by clicking here.
Anyone who has any information about someone on the list is asked to call the FBI at (888) 814-7693. If you believe an individual is still unaccounted for and their name is not included on the credible list of names, contact the MPD at (808) 244-6400 or email unaccounted@mpd.net.
The new list comes as the death toll from the ferocious blaze stands at 115.
Of those, 55 have been identified — many with the help of DNA technology.
Authorities have declined to predict what the final toll will be because of continued uncertainty around how many of the missing simply haven’t been able to check in with loved ones. But as the four-week mark of the disaster nears, authorities acknowledge the number of deaths will rise.
New fatalities will almost certainly include people who are presumed to have perished but whose remains haven’t been recovered. Specialized teams have completed the work of searching for remains in Lahaina, which has allowed EPA workers collecting toxic materials to move in.
Copyright 2023 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
