Bermuda mother and son named as passengers on missing medical plane off Nantucket
A mother from Bermuda and her son have been identified as two of the six people aboard an air ambulance that went missing in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, over the weekend.
The names of four crew members from the plane, which went missing while flying from Bermuda to Boston's Logan International Airport, have yet to be released.
Bermuda police said on Monday that Marilyn Lavonne Bean, 66, and Sergio Wayne Lottimore, 41, both Bermudian nationals, were aboard a Gulfstream G100 with the four crew members when it went missing off Nantucket around 1 a.m. Saturday.
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.
It's not clear if or when the search for the victims will resume. The Coast Guard in Boston didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
Bermuda police, in their statement posted on Facebook, said the investigation into the crash is being conducted by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board in conjunction with Canada's Transportation Safety Board.
The NTSB said Monday that more information is expected to be released soon as the "appropriate investigative jurisdiction is currently being determined."