Discovery of remains in Avery County linked to missing camper from Hurricane Helene ...Middle East

AVERY COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – More than six months after Hurricane Helene devastated multiple counties across North Carolina, taking the lives of more than 100 people, another missing person’s body has been recovered in Avery County.

On Friday, March 28, 2025, the Avery County Sheriff’s Office said a debris clean-up crew working along the North Toe River, near Bent Road in the Ingalls Community, made a startling discovery. While clearing debris, they found the remains of a decomposed body.

Authorities suspect the remains belong to a camper who went missing during Hurricane Helene. The person was thought to have been staying at the Buck Hill Campground when the storm struck, launching a months-long unresolved missing persons case.

The remains have been sent to the office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh for positive identification. The hope is that further examination will confirm the identity of the deceased and provide some closure to the family and community members, the sheriff's office said.

As of now, the discovery brings the official count for missing and deceased individuals related to Hurricane Helene in Avery County to one missing person and six confirmed dead.

Local authorities have made it clear that they will continue their efforts to find the last remaining missing person. The Avery County Sheriff’s Office is actively following any new leads and has urged anyone with information to come forward.

Anyone with information regarding the remaining missing person, or any other details, is encouraged to contact the Avery County Sheriff’s Office at 828-733-5855.

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