Coast Guard releases names of 6 aboard missing medical plane off Nantucket
The U.S. Coast Guard has released the names of the six people who were on an air ambulance that went missing in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, over the weekend.
The U.S. Coast Guard identified the four Canadians on board the aircraft as Philip Gregory Childerhose, Thomas Henry Farquhar, Sarah Jane Paton and Jolene Beth Weir.
The two Bermudians have been identified as Marilyn Lavonne Bean and Sergio Wayne Lottimore. Bermuda police said Bean, 66, and Lottimore, 41, are a mother and son.
The six people were aboard the Gulfstream G100 when it went missing off Nantucket around 1 a.m. Saturday while traveling from Bermuda to Boston.
Searchers later found a "debris field" off the coast of the island, but with no sign of the six people on board after a 66-hour search that spanned more than 4,400 miles, the U.S. Coast Guard suspended rescue efforts Sunday.
E. David Burt, premier of Bermuda, issued a statement on Monday.
"While we held out hope for the best, the worst fears have been realized and so our first thoughts are with the families of those so tragically lost," Burt said.
Minister of Health Kim Wilson added that it is an "incredibly difficult time for all those affected."
"Let us open our hearts to the families in the hope that our expressions of love, support and compassion will bring some comfort as they attempt to deal with this terrible loss," Wilson said.
Latitude Air Ambulance, the Ontario-based company that owned the plane, said in a statement that its staff faces the "heartbreaking reality" that all aboard the plane are now presumed dead.
"Our four crew members were valued members of the Latitude family," the company said in a statement. "They dedicated themselves to providing care to people at some of the most difficult moments in their lives, and they were carrying out that mission when this tragedy occurred. We are grieving their loss deeply."
Peter Byl, president of Latitude Air Ambulance, said Monday the company's immediate focus was on supporting the victims' families and cooperating fully with authorities.
"We will not speculate about the circumstances or cause of the accident while that work is underway," he wrote in an email.
The Canadian-registered jet had departed Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport on a nighttime flight to Massachusetts. Air traffic audio indicates that the plane may have been "coming in blind" as a storm loomed. The pilot reported electrical problems and declared an emergency as the jet approached the coast.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is the lead agency investigating the incident, the Coast Guard said.
"During this incredibly difficult time, our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends impacted by this tragic incident," said Coast Guard Rear Adm. Matthew Lake. "We are grateful to the crews and partner agencies who quickly responded to this incident, and we will continue to support our Canadian partners as they conduct their investigation."