Victims Of Plane Crash Off Nantucket Identified By U.S. Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed the identities of the six people who were on board the plane that crashed into the ocean south of Nantucket early last Saturday morning. They include a mother and her son, both from Bermuda, and a crew of four air ambulance personnel from Canada.

The two Bermudian nationals, Marilyn Lavonne Bean, 66, and her son, Sergio Wayne Lottimore, 41, were traveling aboard the Gulfstream G100 aircraft from Bermuda to Boston on a medical transport mission before the pilot declared an emergency and lost contact with air traffic controllers. The air ambulance crashed into international waters approximately 20 miles south of Nantucket.

The four Canadian crew members on the plane were employees of Latitude Air Ambulance, an Ontario-based company that provides transfers to and from healthcare facilities. The Coast Guard identified them on Monday as Philip Gregory Childerhose, Thomas Henry Farquhar, Sarah Jane Paton, and Jolene Beth Weir. 

"This is an unimaginable loss for our Latitude family and for everyone who loved the six people aboard Heartbeat 104," said Peter Byl, President of Latitude Air Ambulance, referring to the call sign of the aircraft. "Our focus now is on supporting their families, supporting our people and assisting the authorities. We will honour our colleagues by remembering the care, professionalism, and commitment they brought to their work every day."

The Royal Gazette of Bermuda reported Monday that Lottimore was a 2002 graduate of Warwick Academy and had been working as a senior vice president for specialty reinsurance at Hamilton Reinsurance Bermuda. 

John Huff, president of the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers, told the Gazette that the business community of Bermuda “mourns the tragic loss of one of its own, Sergio Lottimore, an accomplished specialty lines industry leader, a chartered property and casualty underwriter and trusted colleague."

On Tuesday, Latitude Air Ambulance shared additional information about its crew members who were aboard the flight.

"This is the part of this tragedy that is hardest to put into words," Byl, said. "The Coast Guard release gives the public the six names of those aboard, including our four crew members and the patient and family escort. To all of us at Latitude, our crew were much more than names. They were colleagues, friends and members of our family. Each brought something special to our company, to the people they worked beside, and to the patients and families entrusted to their care."

Captian Philip Childerhose "was a person of great integrity, incredibly kind-hearted and extremely passionate about aviation. He was dedicated to his family, friends, and colleagues. He touched the hearts of everyone he talked to and helped anyone who was in need."

First officer Thomas Farquhar "was loved by everyone who ever met him. He was a gentle giant who reflected Jesus' love: a safe place and a helping hand to all."

Flight nurse Sarah Paton "was a bright, joyful presence whose kindness, humour and generosity touched everyone around her. A dedicated nurse, she devoted her life to caring for others and was known by her family as selfless, hardworking, determined and full of life. She was a larger-than-life daughter, family member and friend, and her loved ones take some comfort in knowing she was doing what mattered most to her: helping others. Sarah will be deeply missed and forever remembered for the love and joy she brought to those around her."

Respiratory Therapist Jolene Weir "was a presence unlike any other who loved her family and friends and had a passion for helping others. With years of experience caring for others as a respiratory therapist in a hospital, combined with her love of travel and seeing the world, Latitude truly was her dream job. Her incredible ability to care for and love others extended not only to her patients but showed even more in her most favourite roles as a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend."

An extensive search by the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies for the six people who were on the aircraft when it crashed was suspended Sunday evening. Search teams had discovered a debris field linked to the aircraft the day before.

The situation began when the FAA issued a search-and-rescue alert notice for the Gulfstream G-100 around 1:20 a.m. Saturday morning, an FAA spokesperson told the Current. The flight departed from L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda and was headed to Boston Logan International Airport.

On Monday, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada said it would lead the investigation into the plane crash.

"Pursuant to international agreements, the investigation shall be conducted by the State of registry, which is Canada," the agency stated. "The TSB will be assisted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as accredited representatives, and in the coming days will deploy investigators to assist in the search and recovery of the aircraft."