3 South Korean travellers missing while on road trip from Grand Canyon to Las Vegas: US media
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
US news reports said on March 23 that the three women have been missing for 10 days.
PHOTO: COCONINO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE/FACEBOOK
Follow topic:
Three South Korean travellers who visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona have been missing for 10 days, US news reports said on March 23.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the family of three women have not been seen since March 13. CNN identified them as Ms Lee Ji-yeon, 33, Ms Kim Tae-hee, 59, and Ms Kim Jung-hee, 54.
Coconino County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona, which has been investigating the case, reportedly tracked the GPS data from their rental car and discovered that the trio lost contact at around 3.30pm local time on Highway 40, while heading west from Grand Canyon towards Las Vegas.
On that day, the highway was hit by a snowstorm, which caused a 22-car crash that claimed two lives and injured 16 people, raising the chance of the accident having led to the women’s disappearance.
“A major accident occurred on the highway around the same time their phone’s location signals were picked up, so the missing people might be connected to it,” a local police officer said.
However, no evidence has been uncovered yet regarding their whereabouts.
After the trio, who were originally scheduled to return to South Korea on March 17, lost contact, their relatives back home sought help from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which then reached out to local police.
An official from the Republic of Korea Consulate General in Los Angeles said: “We supplied all relevant information to local authorities and sent staff to the area to assist with the swift search for the missing family.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
