Navy divers join search for wildfire victims in Lahaina harbor
- Trapped by wildfires, some jumped in the harbor to try to escape
- More than 100 people died in the fires that swept across Maui
- Authorities released the names of 388 who are still missing
Wildfire wreckage is shown Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The search of the wildfire wreckage on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Thursday revealed a wasteland of burned out homes and obliterated communities as firefighters battled the stubborn blaze making it the deadliest in the U.S. in recent years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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(NewsNation) — A team of Navy divers is working to recover the bodies of those who died in the ocean during the Maui wildfires.
The team arrived at the request of the Maui Fire Department to assist with efforts to search for remains in Lahaina Harbor following the fast-moving fires that killed more than 100 people and destroyed the historic town.
Authorities recently released the names of 388 people who are still unaccounted for after the fires swept through the island. Lahaina, on the west side of Maui, was especially hard hit by the fires.
Residents scrambled to evacuate and many died trapped in their cars due to a barricade and gridlock on the one road leading in and out of the town. Some who were trapped jumped into the ocean to escape. While some of those fleeing were picked up by boats, others were unreachable as flames engulfed the Lahaina harbor.
Emergency authorities in Hawaii have faced criticism over the way the wildfires were handled. Emergency sirens usually used to warn of tsunamis remained silent and many residents reported they didn’t receive alerts sent to cell phones due to lack of service.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the wildfires, but one possible cause is a spark from a power line. Reports show Hawaii’s electric infrastructure was out of date and in need of repair and those in Maui have questioned why power wasn’t shut off due to high winds.
The hurricane-strength winds contributed to the devastation, fueling the fire as it moved swiftly through the island.
Hawaiians are being encouraged to submit DNA to help identify human remains that are recovered as authorities attempt to identify the dead and determine the fate of those still missing.
