Maui wildfires: Death toll rises to 67 as US Coast Guard outlines response efforts

The death toll from the wildfires burning in Maui jumped to 67 on Friday, county officials said. Officials have said the number is expected to increase as crews search the wreckage, after the wildfires wiped out the popular tourist town of Lahaina.

The grim update comes as Capt. Aja L. Kirksey, commander of Coast Guard Sector Honolulu, provided an update on the Coast Guard's response to the fires in Lahaina.

She said that on Tuesday, crews had rescued 17 people from the waters in the Lahaina harbour and that all were in stable condition. She said the Coast Guard has continued to conduct searches around the Lahaina harbour and the Maui triangle.

She said that as of Thursday the Coast Guard search efforts had covered more than 450 square nautical miles.