But there were others unaccounted for

[GoodTaste]

Inside the reception center, they waited anxiously for their phones to charge. Nadia, a mother of three, had only just learned that her son had survived. But there were others unaccounted for.

Washington Post

Does "But there were others unaccounted for" mean "But there were no messages about her other two kids"?

 

[emsr2d2]

No, it's not necessarily more of Nadia's children. I can see how you came to that conclusion - the piece specifically says she's a mother of three, they only mention her son and then they use the word "others". However, if they were talking only about her other two children, the last sentence would be "But the others were unaccounted for".

There were clearly more people waiting in the reception centre ("they waited anxiously"). Using "there were others unaccounted for" means simply that there were more children of whom there was no news.