'Not an easy thing to do': Authorities name 388 people still missing after Maui wildfires
Maui's confirmed missing have been named.
County officials released an FBI-verified list of 388 people who remain unaccounted for more than two weeks after the deadliest wildfire in over a century tore through parts of the island and scorched the historic community of Lahaina.
So far, 115 people have been confirmed dead but the number is expected to rise.
Search crews continue to comb through the burned areas of Lahaina and other parts of west Maui ravaged by fire and investigators are hoping to hear from loved ones of the missing.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said investigators know "once those names come out, it can and will cause pain for folks whose loved ones are listed."
"This is not an easy thing to do, but we want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to make this investigation as complete and thorough as possible," he said.
Search for missing continues
The list of nearly 400 names of the unaccounted for presents a grim picture of the toll from the fires: communities, and whole families, destroyed. Several people on the list share last names, indicating multiple members of families are missing. In one case, four members of what appears to be the same family are unaccounted for.
Officials asked anyone who recognizes names on the list and has information about where they might be to contact the FBI. Pelletier said some on the list may not have checked in with officials or loved ones and asked they confirm they are safe if they see their names.
People who know someone they believe is missing should contact the Maui Police Department so they can be added to the list, the county said. Immediate family members of missing people also can provide DNA samples to help with identifying the remains of fire victims.
On Wednesday, officials said about 1,000 names were on a tentative, unconfirmed FBI list of the unaccounted for, but DNA was only collected from 104 families. The list released Thursday includes only people whose first and last names have been verified by the FBI and a contact number for the person who reported them missing.
Of the original list of people who were reported as missing, 1,732 have been located "safe and well," Maui County said.
"This is a thorough and time-consuming process," Mayor Richard Bissen said.
Fire victims identified as death toll rises
As of Thursday, the Maui Police Department said 115 people were confirmed dead. Of those, 35 had been identified and their families notified. Eleven more were identified but family had not yet been located or notified.
Officials Thursday also released the names of additional victims so far identified:
- Todd Nakamura, 61, of Lahaina
- Bernard Portabes, 75, of Lahaina
- Tony Takafua, 7, of Lahaina
- Salote Tone, 39, of Lahaina
- Faaoso Tone, 70, of Lahaina
- Maluifonua Tone, 73, of Lahaina
- Bette Jo Dyckman, 73, of Lahaina
- Rebecca Rans, 57, of Lahaina
Contributing - The Associated Press