3 Vacationers Lacking After Driving in Snowstorm from Grand Canyon to Las Vegas

Three relations visiting the U.S. have gone lacking after they launched into a visit to Las Vegas and drove by means of a snowstorm.

In keeping with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Workplace in Flagstaff, Ariz.,three ladies from South Korea — Jiyeon Lee, 33, Taehee Kim, 59, and Junghee Kim, 54 — set off from the Grand Canyon and have been headed for Las Vegas in a rental automobile on March 13.

In a lacking individuals poster supplied by the sheriff’s workplace, investigators wrote that the household had rented a 2024 white BMW with California license plate quantity 9KHN768. Lee was touring along with her mom, Taehee, and aunt, Junghee, sheriff’s workplace spokesperson Jon Paxton advised ABC Information on March 21.

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Authorities additionally stated that GPS data taken from the automobile confirmed that the household’s final recognized location was after they have been headed westbound on Interstate 40 in Arizona at round 3:30 p.m. on March 13.

A significant crash occurred on a close-by freeway that very same day, however the sheriff’s workplace acknowledged that it didn’t know if the ladies have been concerned in that accident.

“It was our concern that due to the climate circumstances on that day and that main accident, their GPS might have rerouted them. And when you’ve ever traveled up in northern Arizona, once you get rerouted, generally GPS will reroute you out right into a forest service street with out figuring out that climate circumstances are harsh,” the sheriff’s workplace advised Arizona affiliate station FOX 10.

In keeping with Paxton, two individuals died within the pileup involving greater than 20 autos, together with a number of tractor-trailers and 13 passenger autos, per USA Immediately. A few of the automobiles concerned within the crash had caught fireplace and authorities are having bother figuring out them.

“The massive concern proper now could be, the ping that we had on that cellphone …. near that point was additionally, a significant accident had taken place on the interstate, very near the place that ping was positioned,” Paxton added to ABC Information.

In keeping with Paxton, the three ladies have been set to fly out of the U.S. on March 17 from San Francisco Worldwide Airport, however their household turned involved after they didn’t hear from them they usually missed their flight.

“We now have guests from everywhere in the world that come right here, however yeah, it’s a little uncommon to have three go lacking on the identical time,” Paxton added to AZFamily.

The lacking individuals report was then filed by means of the South Korean consulate in Los Angeles on March 18, ABC reported.

“We now have dispatched a consul to the world and are working intently with the police to find the lacking individuals as shortly as doable,” the South Korean consulate added to the outlet, noting that its personnel had “supplied all related data to the authorities.”

“Anybody who has had contact with this household since [March 13] or has information of their whereabouts is requested to contact CCSO with any data,” the lacking individuals flyer states. “… When you’ve got details about the above lacking household please contact Coconino County Sheriff’s Workplace: 928-774-4523 or 1-800-338-7888. Silent Witness: 928-774-6111.”