Story by Chris Klint, Alaska Public Media, Colette Czarnecki, KSTK
A 12-year-old boy is the last person who remains missing in the fatal landslide near Wrangell, after Alaska State Troopers say volunteers found a man’s body Thursday, bringing the disaster’s official death toll to five.
“Search and rescue volunteers and scent detection canines continue with reactive searching in any areas where there may be a clue or evidence that points to a certain area,” Tim DeSpain, a spokesperson for the Alaska State Troopers said over the phone with KSTK.
Troopers said in an online dispatch Friday that 65-year-old Otto Florschutz’s body was recovered at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday by Wrangell Search and Rescue volunteers, working with search dogs and an excavator.
He was the husband of Christina Florschutz, a local teacher’s aide and the sole survivor of the Nov. 20 landslide. She told reporters last week that she was upstairs in their home when the slide knocked her around like “weightless popcorn,” leading to an overnight ordeal in the ruins of her top floor that she survived by using pieces of polar fleece to keep herself warm.
Last year, Otto Florschutz ran as a Republican among dozens of candidates in the special election to replace the late Rep. Don Young. Young’s seat is now held by Rep. Mary Peltola.
Florschutz joins four members of the Heller family confirmed dead in the slide. Timothy Heller, 44, Beth Heller, 36, and Mara Heller, 16, were all found dead after the 500-foot-wide slide destroyed three homes. Kara Heller, 11, was found Saturday amid an extensive search of the debris near Mile 11 of the Zimovia Highway.
“I think pretty much at this point in time it comes down to the canines if they happen to indicate in a certain area, giving searchers cause to take a closer look, using probes and various means to follow up on the hints that the canines come up with,” DeSpain said. “Now that the road is cleared and more equipment is able to get in there and help clear the debris, the search efforts have shifted mainly to the ocean side of the road.”
Troopers said Friday that 12-year-old Derek Heller is still missing.
