![Wrangell Slide over Zimovia Hwy looking North. Photo courtesy of Caleb Purviance](https://alaska-native-news.com/wp-content/uploads/image2023-11-24-1-650x424.jpg)
The Alaska Department of Public Safety released the names of the victims that perished in the horrific landslide that occurred on the Zimovia Highway south of Wrangell on Friday.
The 450-foot landslide that swept down the mountainside on Monday directly into three homes below took the lives of:
- 16-year-old Mara Heller, who was found on Monday,
- 44-year-old Timothy Heller, who was found on Tuesday,
- 36-year-old Beth Heller, who was found on the same day
Missing, and presumed deceased are:
- 12-year-old Derek Heller,
- 11-year-old Kara Heller,
- 65-year-old Otto Florschutz
The Hellers were a family of five living in one of the homes, while Otto Florschutz was a commercial fisherman who was at one time a candidate for the state’s U.S. House seat. His wife was located alive in the upper story of their home Monday. They lived in a home next door.
The third home was unoccupied at the time of the terrible incident.
On Friday it was also announced that the search has been changed to reactive from active, although the search goes on by various searchers and a K9 team remains on standby awaiting any new evidence or information.
The deceased have been sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage for autopsy and next of kin have been notified.
DPS says that they do not anticipate any further press releases on the fatal landslide.