Alaska State Troopers suspended active search operations for David Simmons, 30, and Janae Larson, 23 of Haines because of continued rain and the likelihood of additional landslides in the area.
Ground searchers who were deployed to Haines with the Troopers departed the area today aboard the P/V Enforcer. An Alaska State Trooper sergeant from Juneau will remain in Haines to coordinate with the incident commander and Haines Borough Police Department on the ongoing disaster relief efforts.
The two and a pet dog were presumably swept away, along with a house they were in, last Wednesday during an epic rain event that caused dozens of slides, damaged roads, and flooded homes.
If new information or evidence is located, Troopers will reevaluate search efforts. For now, the two are likely deceased, according to Mayor Dolug Olerud.
Janae Larson lived with her boyfriend in an apartment on the side of the house owned by David Simmons. Her boyfriend was clearing ditches of water and ice nearby when he heard the landslide and watched it sweep the house away with Larson, Simmons and his dog Red inside.
The Alaska Department of Public Safety has added Simmons and Larson to the Alaska Missing Persons Clearinghouse list.
I can’t even imagine………….my heart breaks for the missing and the families…
Good gracious what way to go.
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