GEAR JRNL

Federal and local authorities will use genetic genealogy to analyze DNA found at Nancy Guthrie's home as the ongoing investigation into her possible abduction stretches into its third week.

The 84-year-old mother of "TODAY" co-host Savannah Guthrie was reported missing around noon on Feb. 1 after she did not show up to a friend's house to watch virtual church services. Guthrie was last seen the previous night at around 9:45, after dinner at her daughter Annie's house.

Authorities believe that Guthrie was possibly taken from her home. They have not publicly identified a suspect or person of interest. All members of the Guthrie family have been cleared as potential suspects in the case, which involves local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

In an update this week, authorities said DNA recovered from a glove found about 2 miles from Guthrie's home did not match any samples in the FBI's DNA database, called CODIS, nor did it match DNA found at Guthrie's property, authorities said Tuesday. The Combined DNA Index System has 19 million offender DNA profiles and more than 1 million forensic profiles,according to the FBI. But a match would not necessarily break the case.

The glove appeared to match the gloves worn by a person seen in security video from outside Guthrie's home, authorities have said.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos on Tuesday told NBC News that investigators are analyzing some partial DNA that was found at Guthrie's home. Investigators are also exploring "investigative genetic genealogy options" to identify possible DNA matches, the department said.

"We believe that we may have some DNA there that may be our suspect, but we won't know that until that DNA is separated, sorted out, maybe admitted to CODIS, maybe through genetic genealogy," Nanos said.

Investigators are now turning to genetic genealogy, which has previously successfully identified other high-profile criminals like the Golden State Killer and University of Idaho murderer Brian Kohberger.

"If I was the kidnapper, I would be extremely concerned right now, because using investigative genetic genealogy, he will be identified," DNA expert CeCe Moore told "TODAY" Thursday.

Authorities, however, are not allowed to use well-known genealogy sites such as Ancestry.com or 23andMe, and will have to rely on publicly available DNA databases to test the DNA. Moore noted that the process may take awhile.

"If they have deep roots in the United States, it could be minutes, it could be a few hours," Moore said. "But if it's somebody who doesn't have connections to the U.S. in their tree in more recent generations, then it could take much longer."

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Last week, the FBI released security camera images and videos of an armed and masked man outside Guthrie's home on the morning of her disappearance. The FBI has since described that suspect as a 5'9" to 5'10" male carrying a unique gun holster and an Ozark Trail backpack from Walmart. He also may have been wearing a ring.

Nanos noted that identifying the suspect's backpack could be a critical clue in the investigation.

"We're working with our Walmart managers all across the state to try to find out how many sales there were of that backpack in the last 20, 30 days, the last 60 days," Nanos said. "And can we do something with that? Can we break it — maybe we'll find a credit card or a bank card? Maybe we'll find a video of the guy walking in."

The FBI currently has a $100,000 reward for information leading to the location of Guthrie or an arrest for anyone involved in her disappearance. As of Thursday morning, theFBI said it has receivedmore than 19,000 tips related to the case since Feb. 1.

An additional $102,500 reward is being offered through Tucson Crime Stoppers, known locally as 88-CRIME.

There's no evidence that Guthrie was taken over the U.S.-Mexico border, two officials briefed on the case said.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department and, later, the FBI have been in touch with officials on both sides of the border to share information in the case, officials said, noting that such outreach is standard in missing-person cases like this one.

The Sonora State Attorney General's Office said Thursday that it has not received a "formal request for collaboration, assistance, or information exchange from U.S. authorities or Mexican federal agencies in connection with this case." The statement added that should "an official request be received through the appropriate institutional channels, it will be addressed with full cooperation and within the scope of its legal authority and existing cooperation mechanisms."

A Tucson attorneyconfirmed to NBC affiliate News12that his client, 37-year-old Luke Daley, was briefly detained on Friday night during a search of his home but was not arrested. "Both Mr. Daley and his mother are hopeful that Nancy will be returned to her family unharmed," attorney Chris Scileppi said.

Scileppi did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment.

As authorities continue to comb through thousands of tips and leads, Nanos stressed that the case is far from cold.

"As long as we have the ability to chase a lead, it's not cold," Nanos said. "We're not going to give up. We're going to find Nancy, and we're going to find out who did this."

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NEED TO KNOW

• The Blind Side star Quinton Aaron is now awake following his recent spinal stroke

• The actor exclusively tells PEOPLE that he's now "focusing" on his recovery

• He's been able to speak and text with his relatives and close friends, his family tells PEOPLE
  

The Blind SidestarQuinton Aaronremains hospitalized, but is now awake.

In January, the 41-year-old actor suffered aspinal stroke. In the weeks following, he remained in the hospital "in very serious condition," a source close to the Aaron family exclusively told PEOPLE.

Quinton issued an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, saying, "I went through a lot, but I'm focusing on God, my recovery, my family and close friends as well as my career."

His family tells PEOPLE that he's currently "feeling strong and empowered."

The actor is able to speak with his relatives and FaceTime and text regularly now with his closest inner circle of friends. "He's excited about the future opportunities life will present to him," the family says.

His family also shared a photo of him and his brother, Jarred. The family says the two brothers have grown even closer following Quinton's stroke.

The Aaron family also said in a statement that Quinton is "awake, fully alert, interacting with his family and approved visitors."

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The actor has "feeling in his legs," his family adds. With his recovery underway, he is "focused on his recovery and successfully doing things like practicing writing, doing puzzles."

Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE'sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The recent updates come after a source told PEOPLE that doctors were "conducting tests to keep him stable."

Spinal strokes occur when something, such as blood clots or hemorrhages, stops blood flow in a person's spinal cord, according to theCleveland Clinic. The condition is very rare, comprising less than 1% of all strokes, and "can still be fatal or cause permanent disabilities."

The recent hospitalization comes nearly a year after he was hospitalized for coughing up blood and coming down with a fever in February 2025,TMZpreviously reported.

Aaron said at the time that medics believed he was dealing with Type A flu, as well as pneumonia. He also suffered a severe upper respiratory infection back in 2019, according to the outlet.

Read the original article onPeople

Denise Truscello/Caesar's

Former teen idolDonny Osmondis known for breaking hearts, not heads. But one recent concertgoer has filed a lawsuit, claiming she was injured at one of his Las Vegas shows.

Joanne Julkowski is suing the "Puppy Love" singer after attending his Feb. 15, 2024, concert at Harrah's Las Vegas, where she alleges she was "suddenly and forcefully struck in the back of the head by one of the lighted balls that had been thrown or propelled into the crowd."

In a lawsuit filed in Nevada's Clark County, that was obtained byEntertainment Weekly, Julkowski said that she "sustained serious injuries, including a traumatic retinal eye injury to her right eye with retinal detachment requiring surgical intervention and resulting visual impairment, as well as associated head and neck injuries," which "required [her] to obtain extensive medical care."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

The lawsuit said that Julkowski's experience had caused her to struggle emotionally, too.

She "has suffered severe emotional distress, including psychological trauma, fear, anxiety, PTSD, and loss of joy in life," as well as "physical pain, discomfort, disability, and limitations in her daily activities." The court documents also describe a loss of wages and "a loss of earning capacity."

Osmond is one of several defendants, including the venue and its parent company and Donny Osmond Concerts, Inc., named in the legal action.

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Julkowski accused the singer andseason 9Dancing With the Starswinnerof having put her in danger.

"The oversized lighted balls used during the concert were designed and intended to be thrown or propelled through the audience while illuminated, and when so used, were capable of causing injury to concertgoers upon forceful impact," the document read.

She alleged that the venue was dim, "therefore reducing visibility for patrons and limiting their ability to perceive, track, and avoid the oversized, lighted balls moving through the crowd; and there were no adequate warnings, instructions, or safety measures communicated to patrons regarding the presence, use, or hazards of the balls."

Julkowski is seeking $15,000 in past and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, attorney's fees, and punitive damages.

Her attorneys, Christian Morris Trial Attorneys, said in a statement toEntertainment Weekly: "The choice of this performer and this venue to intentionally launch large objects into a crowd shows a mentality that they prioritize entertainment value over the safety of their guests. The decision unnecessarily endangers people of all ages and can cause a multitude of injuries. This lawsuit brings these actions to light and seeks answers to those choices and asks for retribution for the injuries they caused to Joanne."

Entertainment Weeklyhas reached out to an attorney for Osmond and to Harrah's.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

When she reached out to Jeffrey Epstein in 2013, Ditè Anata knew the Manhattan wealth manager could easily help a Juilliard student cover her housing costs. Anata, an international model with a top agency, also apparently knew Epstein well enough to implore him to avoid any less-than-professional dealings.

More:Epstein pulled strings, paid tuition across world for kids of powerful

She told Epstein she'd mentioned to the student's "mum" how generous Epstein was with artists and how he played the piano.

"I skipped all my experiences that shocked me so please," she wrote on Aug. 20, 2013, "be nice and behave your best :) If you feel like you can't be official I would rather you not help her."

Anata did not know the student at the prestigious performing arts college in New York City, but she told USA TODAY she knew Epstein was a philanthropist who supported "talented individuals and artists."

She also knew Epstein had spent roughly two years in custody after pleading guilty to solicitation of prostitution and hiring minors to engage in prostitution. But Anata explained to USA TODAY that Epstein told her that those charges were "politically motivated and set up by his adversaries."

That same day, a person whose name is redacted wrote to Epstein that a family friend had come through with New York accommodations and she would not need to contact "Juilliard's Residence Hall." The email does not explicitly link the housing solution to the Juilliard student, but it references a conversation with someone named Ditè.

"It is wonderful to know, that there are still such kind and generous people in the world like you, who value and support Arts and Science" the Aug. 20, 2013, email read. "I was delighted to hear from Dite, that you yourself love playing the piano!"

More:Who is in the Epstein files? A look at the latest names

Epstein kept the correspondence going,inviting his correspondent to dinner with a famous movie director and a prominent composer. The email correspondent replied that it would be a "great honor for me to participate."

USA TODAY reached out to the former student discussed in Anata and Epstein's email exchange, whose name surfaced in the final batch of court documents released by the Justice Department last month.

The former student's attorney, Brittany Henderson, declined to answer questions about the housing situation, but said her client "endured substantial abuse at the hands of Epstein." Henderson requested anonymity for the former student, which USA TODAY granted, as it does not identify people who report sexual abuse.

More:Six years after Jeffrey Epstein's death, hundreds of women push for justice

Anata told USA TODAY she did not have any information about what transpired after she'd asked Epstein for help. Juilliard said it did not receive payment from Epstein, and the student never lived in campus housing.

Among themillions of pages from the Epstein files the DOJ released following a mandate from Congress, the email exchange between Anata, Epstein and the Juilliard student illustrates how the now-globally notorious sex offender served as an opportunity broker for powerful people. Emails show he arranged to help the relatives of celebrities like Woody Allen and his wife Soon-Yi Previn, or politicians like Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to the United States. They also came from lower-profile people hoping to change their circumstances.

In exchange, the people asking favors told Epstein they felt they owed him and promised to reward him in various ways for his largesse.In the messages reviewed by USA TODAY, none of the people who appear to be currying favor with Epstein are connected to allegations of Epstein's illegal acts, including sexual misconduct, and they have not been accused of any wrongdoing.

A USA TODAY review of hundreds of files shows Epstein or entities tied to him paid at least $840,000 to cover students' costs at 28 different schools.

Jamie Raskin, a constitutional law scholar and Democratic Maryland congressman, has been pushing the feds for more transparency about Epstein's ties to America's elite universities. In January, he requested documents be released showing how Epstein and potential co-conspirators arranged for women to attend Columbia and New York University and paid their tuition after they were accepted.

"By doing so, Mr. Epstein not only lured young women who he and his co-conspirators would come to sexually abuse and rape, he also ensured his victims were indebted to him and less likely to come forward to report crimes to law enforcement," Raskinwrote in a letterto NYU President Linda G. Mills.

The trove of documents released last month revealed Epstein's largesse extended beyond these New York colleges. A USA TODAY review of hundreds of files shows Epstein or entities tied to him paid at least $840,000 to cover students' costs at 28 different schools, according to a Deutsche Bank document in the Justice Department files. In addition,USA TODAY found Epstein arranged for tuition payments for dozens of people at other schools across the country, including large public universities, for-profit art colleges and elite private universities.

Marquee celebs, prominent academics sought with school costs

Sometimes Epstein covered school costs for his staffers or the children of his friends. In other cases, the Deutsche Bank report described the recipients as "Russian" or "Swedish" models. Their names were redacted. The newly released files also show that additional payments, beyond those shared by Deutsche Bank in September 2019, were made a few months after Epsteindied in federal custody.

Epstein, for example, arranged to pay 10,000 pounds for Reinaldo Avila da Silva, the husband of British politician Peter Mandelson, to attend an osteopathic program.

"It feels so right to be doing this," da Silva wrote Epstein after he'd begun his studies, in an email message on Sept. 28, 2009. "It has increased my understanding of the body in every aspect already."

The Health Sciences University, which houses the Uco School of Osteopathy, the former British School of Osteopathy, told USA TODAY that the institution did not receive money directly, "from Epstein, his businesses, or any of his known business associates."

The General Osteopathic Council, a regulatory body in Britain,issued a news release Feb. 2saying it was "aware of media reports that the husband of Peter Mandelson, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, was in receipt of funds from Jeffrey Epstein to fund an osteopathy course in the UK in 2009."

The organization went on to say that da Silva did not graduate and was ineligible to practice osteopathy in the UK. Mandelson was fired from his role as the British ambassador to the United States in 2025 after his ties to Epstein became apparent.

Mandelson's attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

Epstein made similar overtures to Hollywood titans.

In 2018, he wowed Caroline Lang, then a Warner Bros. executive based in France, when he appeared to promise he would cover tuition for a person with the same name as her daughter.

Epstein writes: "to confirm her tuition is my treat."

"Waouh!!! I am spoiled!!!!! Great!!!!" Lang wrote back.

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It's unclear based on the emails whether Epstein paid the tuition. USA TODAY attempted to contact Lang but did not receive a response.

Epstein wielded not only his checkbook in service of his charges, but also his Rolodex.

In 2016, Epstein personally appealed to the president of Bard College, Leon Botstein, to help secure admission for Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn's daughter.

David Wade, a spokesperson for Botstein, provided a statement, saying, "Jeffrey Epstein was a serial liar who apparently took credit for the sun rising each day."

The statement went on to say Allen and Previn's daughter was "accepted on the merits of her own qualifications for admission."

As for the university president's connection to Epstein, Wade said that Botstein "regrets enormously pursuing this fundraising connection," but "seeking more philanthropy was the only reason that their paths crossed."

Botsteinhas since faced calls to resign, according to Mid Hudson News.

Allen's manager did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.

Epstein was also known to broker openings for academics and their children. For example, Joscha Bach, a former MIT professor who now works as an AI researcher, asked Epstein repeatedly to fund his children's private education at schools including Alef-Bet Child Care Inc., a "play-based day care" in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the German International School Boston, "a bilingual independent school serving students from preschool – grade 12." The newly released emails show that Bach received at least $48,000 to cover education expenses.

Bach told USA TODAY scientists he knew had introduced him to Epstein. He said that he was aware of Epstein's past convictions, but fellow academics told him that the financier had changed.

When he accepted Epstein's help, Bach was studying artificial generative intelligence, a topic for which he told USA TODAY he struggled to find research funding. He was "confronted with the choice of accepting Epstein's offer to fund the stay of me and my family in the U.S., or to leave academic research behind."

"I decided to take his offer; I would not have been able to support the move, cost of living, day care or cost of the German school from my postdoctoral salary," Bach told USA TODAY.

He added that Epstein "never expected anything in return" other than access to the "minds of individuals he found interesting." He said he'd never observed Epstein commit illegal activity or sexual crimes. Bach said that Epstein's second arrest "came as a shock."

Had he been aware of that activity, Bach said, "I would have ceased all interactions."

Where else did Epstein cover tuition?

The Deutsche Bank document in the Epstein files provides a concise accounting of the range of schools at which Epstein covered tuition.

They include many payments for Epstein's staff members' relatives: roughly $19,900 for one employee's relative to attend Fairleigh Dickinson University, a private college in New Jersey; and $10,000 for another person's relative to attend Mississippi College, a private Christian institution in a suburb of Jackson.

Dina Schipper, a spokesperson for Fairleigh Dickinson, said the university was aware these expenses were reflected in the files and that it had records of three tuition payments from a Jeffrey Epstein account in 2015. She said the university had no records or knowledge of any connection to Epstein in any other capacity.

Beyond the Deutsche Bank report, USA TODAY's review uncovered documents showing Epstein paid tuition at primary schools, private universities, for-profit colleges and a coding boot camp.

A correspondent whose name was redacted by the DOJ sought help in covering the tuition for massage school. The student had nowhere else to turn, the message said.

"I am of course more than happy to do anything for you in return. miss you a lot. Xo," the aspiring student wrote in a 2009 message, written a year after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution and hiring a minor to engage in sex.

Another correspondent, whose name was also redacted by the feds, sought Epstein's help paying for an education at Sotheby's Institute of Art New York, a for-profit college, in 2019. In an email, Lesley Groff, identified as Epstein's assistant, communicated with Sotheby's about the student's tuition payment.

Amanda M.F. Bakale, general counsel of Edconic, said the company that runs the institute was not previously aware Epstein had sent the payment, but she subsequently confirmed its veracity.

"It is not uncommon for individuals other than the student to complete the payment form (employers, parents, etc.)," Bakale wrote.

The attorney said that the school hadn't received any inquiries from law enforcement tied to the payment.

Sometimes, Epstein's quid pro quo was explicit

In dozens of exchanges where power brokering like this played out, Epstein's motivations occasionally showed through. In some cases, he laid out explicit conditions for what he wanted in exchange for fronting tuition money. In April 2017, he wrote in an email to a person whose name was redacted that he would provide $30,000 for tuition, but it came with a caveat.

"You will need to provide three assistants. 10k per. If you don't you will have to repay," he wrote.

Even with this explicit condition, the person asking the favor seemed eager to push forward with the deal. The email correspondent said he or she was "crossing my fingers for" the student whose name was redacted. Separately, the correspondent noted that he or she was planning an ad campaign and would be hiring "females under 24 based in NY/Paris."

It's unclear if the campaign ever ran.

Chris Quintana is an investigative reporter at USA TODAY. He can be reached at cquintana@usatoday.com or via Signal at 202-308-9021. He is on X at @CQuintanaDC.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Epstein files reveal how he cultivated power figures to his benefit

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Former South Korean PresidentYoon Suk Yeolwas found guilty of leading an insurrection on Thursday and sentenced to life in prison for his brief imposition of martial law in 2024, a ruling that marks a dramatic culmination of the country'sbiggest political crisis in decades.

South Korea Martial Law

The conservative leader was ousted from office after he declared martial law and sent troops to surround the National Assembly on Dec. 3, 2024, in a baffling attempt to overcome a legislature controlled by his liberal opponents.

Judge Jee Kui-youn of the Seoul Central District Court said he found Yoon, 65, guilty of rebellion for mobilizing military and police forces in an illegal attempt to seize the Assembly, arrest political opponents and establish unchecked power for an indefinite period.

Martial law crisis recalled dictatorial

past

Yoon's martial law imposition, the first of its kind in more than four decades, recalled South Korea'spast military-backed governmentswhen authorities occasionally proclaimed emergency decrees that allowed them to station soldiers, tanks and armored vehicles on streets or in public places such as schools to prevent anti-government demonstrations.

As lawmakers rushed to the National Assembly, Yoon's martial law command issued a proclamation declaring sweeping powers, including suspending political activities, controlling the media and publications, and allowing arrests without warrants.

The decree lasted about six hours before being lifted after a quorum of lawmakers managed to break through a military blockade and unanimously voted tolift the measure.

Yoon was suspended from office on Dec. 14, 2024, after being impeached by lawmakers and wasformally removedby the Constitutional Court in April 2025. He has been under arrest since last July while facing multiple criminal trials, with the rebellion charge carrying the most severe punishment.

Yoon's lawyers reject conviction

An expressionless Yoon gazed straight ahead as the judge delivered the sentence in the same courtroom where former military rulers and presidents have been convicted of treason, corruption and other crimes over the decades.

Yoon Kap-keun, one of the former president's lawyers, accused the judge of issuing a "predetermined verdict" based solely on prosecutors' arguments and said the "rule of law" had collapsed. He said he would discuss whether to appeal with his client and the rest of the legal team.

Former President Yoon claimed in court that the martial law decree was only meant to raise public awareness of how the liberals were paralyzing state affairs, and that he was prepared to respect lawmakers if they voted against the measure.

Prosecutors said it was clear Yoon was attempting to disable the legislature and prevent lawmakers from lifting the measure through voting, actions that exceeded his constitutional authority even under martial law.

The court also convicted and sentenced five former military and police officials involved in enforcing Yoon's martial law decree. They included ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who received a 30-year jail term for his central role in planning the measure, mobilizing the military and instructing military counterintelligence officials to arrest 14 key politicians, including National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik and current liberal President Lee Jae Myung.

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In announcing Yoon and Kim's verdicts, Jee said the decision to send troops to the National Assembly was key to his determination that the imposition of martial law amounted to rebellion.

"This court finds that the purpose of (Yoon's) actions was to send troops to the National Assembly, block the Assembly building and arrest key figures, including the National Assembly speaker and the leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties, in order to prevent lawmakers from gathering to deliberate or vote," Jee said. "It's sufficiently established that he intended to obstruct or paralyze the Assembly's activities so that it would be unable to properly perform its functions for a considerable period of time."

Protesters rally outside court

As Yoon arrived in court, hundreds of police officers watched closely as Yoon supporters rallied outside a judicial complex, their cries rising as the prison bus transporting him drove past. Yoon's critics gathered nearby, demanding the death penalty.

There were no immediate reports of major clashes following the verdict.

A special prosecutor had demanded the death penalty for Yoon Suk Yeol, saying his actions posed a threat to the country's democracy and deserved the most serious punishment available, but most analysts had expected a life sentence since the poorly-planned power grab did not result in casualties.

South Korea has not executed a death row inmate since 1997, in what is widely seen as a de facto moratorium on capital punishment amid calls for its abolition.

Jung Chung-rae, leader of the liberal Democratic Party, which led the push to impeach and remove Yoon, expressed regret that the court stopped short of the death penalty, saying the ruling reflected a "lack of a sense of justice."

Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the conservative People Power Party, to which Yoon once belonged, issued a public apology, saying the party feels a "deep sense of responsibility" for the disruption to the nation.

The office of current President Lee Jae Myung did not immediately comment on the ruling.

Other officials sentenced for enforcing martial law

Last month, Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison for resisting arrest, fabricating the martial law proclamation and sidestepping a legally mandated full Cabinet meeting before declaring the measure.

The Seoul Central Court had previously convicted two other members of Yoon'sCabinetin connection with the martial law debacle. That includesPrime Minister Han Duck-soo, who received a 23-year prison sentence for attempting to legitimize the decree by forcing it through a Cabinet Council meeting, falsifying records and lying under oath. Han has appealed the verdict.

Yoon is the first former South Korean president to receive a life sentence since former military dictatorChun Doo-hwan, who was sentenced to death in 1996 for his 1979 coup, a bloody 1980 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Gwangju that left more than 200 people dead or missing, and corruption.

The Supreme Court later reduced his sentence to life imprisonment, and he was released in late 1997 under a special presidential pardon. He died in 2021.

Kodai Mitsui/Kyodo News via AP

NEED TO KNOW

• All three bodies have been recovered after a tourist helicopter crashed on a crater of Japan's Mount Aso volcano

• The helicopter was carrying two Taiwanese tourists and a pilot when it crashed on Tuesday, Jan 20

• The bodies were found with the help of dones, authorities confirmed on Thursday, Feb. 19

Three bodies have been found four weeks after a helicopter crashed on a crater of Japan's Mount Aso volcano.

PEOPLEpreviously reportedthat a sightseeing helicopter carrying three people went missing on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 20.

The occupants were two Taiwanese tourists — a 41-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman — and a 64-year-old Japanese pilot, according toKumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun, theKyodo News AgencyandThe Taipei Times.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Feb. 19, authorities confirmed that the bodies of the passengers had been found, perTaipei Times, U.K. newspaperThe IndependentandThe Straits Times.

Officials were able to locate the bodies near the aircraft wreckage using drone footage,Taipei Timesreported.

Authorities said they would attempt to carry out a recovery operation of the remains, perThe Independent.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA)  and the National Police Agency, but didn't immediately receive responses.

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PEOPLEpreviously reportedthat the helicopter left the Aso Cuddly Dominion zoo on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at around 10:52 a.m. local time before going missing near the Mount Aso summit in Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture.

Per the Kyodo News Agency, it was on its third sightseeing trip of the day and had no issues in the previous trips.

The aircraft's GPS was last detected near Aso's crater with fire officials receiving an emergency notification from a passenger's phone at around 11:04 a.m., perThe Japan Times.

Due to harsh weather conditions of strong winds and volcanic gas, rescue teams were unable to reach the site,The Independentreported.

After being informed, family members of the victims agreed that the rescue operation could be suspended due to the safety issues, perTaipei Times.

The last eruption of Mount Aso occurred in October 2021, according toThe Independent.

Mount Aso is located in the Aso-Kuju National Park and holds the record for Japan's second most visited park with approximately 1.18 million foreign tourists visiting in 2024.

Read the original article onPeople

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Police arrested the former Prince Andrew on Thursday, Feb. 19

• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office

• The update comes after Thames Valley Police confirmed it was investigating a complaint alleging that the former Duke of York shared confidential information related to his role as a trade envoy with Jeffrey Epstein

• Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Feb. 9 that it would cooperate with any police inquiry

The formerPrince Andrew, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has been arrested.A team of police officers arrived at the home where he is staying onKing Charles' Sandringham estate in Norfolk on the morning of Thursday, Feb. 19 — Mountbatten-Windsor's 66th birthday.

Mountbatten-Windsor was exiled there after being ordered to leave his Royal Lodge home in Windsor by his brother the King, 77.

It was first reported by theBBCthat he has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.Authorities are investigating Andrew in light of an allegation claiming that he shared confidential information with the late Jeffrey Epstein while acting as a trade envoy for the U.K.

Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

In a statement, Thames Valley police said, "As part of the investigation, we have today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk."

"The man remains in police custody at this time," the statement continued, adding that they will not be naming the arrested man.

The news comes after the Thames Valley Police confirmed it was investigating a complaint alleging that the former Duke of Yorkshared confidential informationrelated to his role as a trade envoy with Epstein, theBBCreported on Feb. 9. The complaint was brought by the anti-monarchy group Republic, which reportedKing Charles' brother for "suspected misconduct in public office and breach of official secrets," the outlet said.

Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty

Republic argued that emails between Andrew and Epstein showed that the British prince shared confidential documents with Epstein relating to his role as the U.K.'s special representative for international trade and investment, a post he held from 2001 to 2011. The correspondence wasreleasedby the U.S. Department of Justice on Jan. 30 in the latest tranche of files relating to the ongoing investigation of Epstein. Trade envoys promote British business interests abroad and the job comes with a duty of confidentiality, even after one's term of office ends.

Epstein was an American financier and convicted sex offender who died in prison while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges in August 2019. Andrew's ties to himset his step back from public life in motionthree months later;Queen Elizabeth's second son denied any wrongdoing regarding their relationship.

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After Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing whether there were grounds for an investigation in light of the new emails between the two men, King Charles' officereleased a seismic statement vowing it would cooperate with law enforcementif approached about a probe.

"The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor's conduct. While the specific claims in question are for Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police, we stand ready to support them as you would expect," Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Feb. 9.

Chris Jackson/Getty

"As was previously stated, Their Majesties' thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse," it continued, referencing the King andQueen Camilla, who is a tireless advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

The palace statement notably addressed Andrew's "conduct" for the first time since he and his ex-wife,Sarah Ferguson, were mentioned several times in the latest tranche of Epstein files. The former couple divorced in 1996 after a decade of marriage and share daughtersPrincess BeatriceandPrincess Eugenie, but continued to live together at Royal Lodge in Windsor after their split.

Andrew was evicted from Royal Lodge when the Kingstripped his royal titles and honorsin October 2025, an unprecedented step by the sovereign amid new scrutiny of his brother's ties to Epstein.

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The former Duke of Yorkstepped back from his working royal rolein November 2019 following abombshell BBC interviewin which he discussed his relationship with Epstein. Queen Elizabeth stripped Andrew of hismilitary titles and patronagesin January 2022 after a judge rejected his attempt to have Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre'ssexual assault lawsuitagainst him dismissed.

Andrew has repeatedly denied Giuffre's allegations andreached a settlementwith her in 2022. She died by suicide in April 2025.

On Sunday, Feb. 15, the director of public prosecutions in the U.K., Stephen Parkinson, toldThe Sunday Times, "Nobody is above the law. It's my job to enforce the law and I do so without fear or favor, and that is unaffected by the status of the individual concerned."

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