Mudslide recovery brings tears to searchers

Published: Thursday, March 27, 2014 10:50 a.m. CDT

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(AP Photo/Rick Wilking, Pool)

Searchers walk into the scene of a deadly mudslide that covers the road, Wednesday, March 26, 2014, in Oso, Wash. Sixteen bodies have been recovered, but authorities believe at least 24 people were killed. And scores of others are still unaccounted for, although many of those names were believed to be duplicates or people who escaped safely.

DARRINGTON, Wash. (AP) — Firefighter Jeff McClelland uncovered a body on the moon-like surface that blankets what used to be the community of Oso. Suddenly, he realized the dead man's son and brother were among the volunteers scouring the debris field.

The relatives sat beside the body as it was zipped into a bag. McClelland found himself overcomeare tasked with bringing closure to the relatives and friends of those who have not been found.

Hope of a miracle discovery of a survivor has faded as the search entered its sixth day Thursday, replaced by acknowledgement that some families may not be able to bury a body.

Authorities cross-referencing the reports they received of missing people with those who had checked were able to eliminate 140 people from the list of the missing Wednesday, said Snohomish County Emergency Management Director John Pennington.

That left 90 confirmed missing, with another 35 who authorities are unsure were in the area when a hillside collapsed Saturday morning 55 miles northeast of Seattle.

Becky Bach watches and waits, hoping that search crews find her brother, his wife, her 20-year-old great-niece and the young girl's