Mother, Son, Four Crew Identified After Medevac Jet Vanishes Off Nantucket

Six individuals, including a mother and son from Bermuda and a four-person Canadian flight and medical crew, have been identified following the disappearance of a medevac jet en route to Boston. The aircraft lost contact with air traffic control off the coast of Nantucket.

Marilyn Lavonne Bean, 66, was being transported for treatment of a stroke, accompanied by her son, Sergio Wayne Lottimore. The U.S. Coast Guard identified the Canadian crew members as pilot Philip Gregory Childerhose, first officer Thomas Henry Farquhar, flight nurse Sarah Jane Paton, and respiratory therapist Jolene Beth Weir.

The Gulfstream G100 jet departed from Bermuda late Friday night and was bound for Boston Logan International Airport. It disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean early Saturday morning, prompting a significant search operation.

Latitude Air Ambulance, the Canadian company operating the flight, confirmed the identities of its crew. Latitude Air Ambulance President Peter Byl expressed the company's grief, stating their focus is on supporting the families and assisting the authorities in the ongoing investigation.

Sergio Wayne Lottimore was the senior vice president and head of specialty reinsurance at Hamilton Re, a Bermuda-based company. Hamilton Re released a statement expressing sorrow over the loss of a "respected leader, colleague and friend." Lottimore was also remembered by his alma mater, Warwick Academy, as an "outstanding person."

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada reported that the crew had communicated electrical difficulties as the aircraft approached the Boston area. The jet then rapidly descended, and contact was lost south of Nantucket. Flight tracking data indicated the aircraft dropped from 24,000 feet to 11,000 feet in approximately three minutes around 1 a.m. Saturday.

The U.S. Coast Guard issued a Search and Rescue Alert Notice at approximately 1:20 a.m. ET. A civilian vessel located debris associated with the aircraft, leading the Coast Guard to suspend its search operations on Sunday.

Rear Adm. Matthew Lake, commander of the Coast Guard Northeast District, expressed condolences to the families and gratitude to the responding crews and partner agencies. He affirmed continued support for the Canadian investigation.

Canada is leading the investigation into the incident due to the aircraft's registration, with the National Transportation Safety Board of the United States providing assistance. The cause of the disappearance has not yet been determined.