MOTHER AND SON AMONG SIX PRESUMED DEAD AFTER MEDICAL PLANE VANISHES OVER ATLANTIC

Marilyn Lavonne Bean and her son Sergio Wayne Lottimore were aboard a medical flight from Bermuda to Boston when the aircraft disappeared near Nantucket

A mother and her son are among six people now presumed dead after a medical transport plane disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean during a flight from Bermuda to Boston.

Marilyn Lavonne Bean, 66, and her 41-year-old son, Sergio Wayne Lottimore, were identified as the two Bermudian passengers aboard the Canadian-registered Gulfstream G100.

The aircraft vanished off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, in the early hours of Saturday, October 3, after the crew reported problems during the flight.

The U.S. Coast Guard later found a debris field believed to be associated with the aircraft, but no survivors were located. After a search covering more than 4,400 square miles over approximately 66 hours, authorities suspended the active search.

A MOTHER TRAVELING FOR MEDICAL CARE

Marilyn Bean was being transported from Bermuda to Boston following a stroke, according to reports.

Her son, Sergio, was traveling with her as her family escort.

The pair were the only passengers on the aircraft. Four Canadian crew members were also on board.

Bermuda Police confirmed their identities after officials released the names of everyone aboard the missing aircraft.

The loss has deeply affected Bermuda, where Bean was described as a beloved member of the community.

Lottimore was also remembered as a respected professional. He was a senior vice president at Hamilton Re, a Bermuda-based reinsurance company, where colleagues described him as a valued leader and friend.

Warwick Academy, where Lottimore studied, also paid tribute to him, remembering him as an outstanding former student.

FOUR CANADIAN CREW MEMBERS ALSO LOST

The four Canadian crew members aboard the flight were identified as:

• Captain Philip Gregory Childerhose
• First Officer Thomas Henry Farquhar
• Flight Nurse Sarah Jane Paton
• Respiratory Therapist Jolene Beth Weir

All four worked for Latitude Air Ambulance, the Ontario-based company that operated the medical flight.

The company said its crew members had dedicated themselves to caring for patients and families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Tributes have since poured in for the crew.

Jolene Weir’s daughter described her mother as someone who had spent her life helping others, while Latitude remembered Childerhose for his kindness and passion for aviation. Farquhar was described as a gentle and caring person, while Paton was remembered for her warmth, generosity and dedication to nursing.

THE FINAL MOMENTS OF THE FLIGHT

The Gulfstream G100 departed Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport bound for Boston.

As it approached the Massachusetts area, the aircraft reportedly experienced electrical problems.

Air traffic control recordings indicated that the pilot was struggling with the situation, with audio suggesting the aircraft was “coming in blind” as storm conditions developed.

Flight data showed a rapid descent shortly before the aircraft disappeared from radar.

The Coast Guard subsequently launched a major search operation involving aircraft and vessels from several agencies.

A debris field was discovered roughly 20 miles off Nantucket, but rescuers were unable to locate any of the six people aboard.

SEARCH SUSPENDED AS INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

The Coast Guard suspended its search on October 4 after an extensive operation covering thousands of square miles.

The agency later confirmed that a civilian vessel had also located debris associated with the aircraft.

Latitude Air Ambulance said it had reached the “heartbreaking reality” that its four crew members, the patient and the patient’s family escort were presumed to have died.

The company said its focus was now on supporting the families and cooperating with authorities.

Officials have stressed that the cause of the crash has not yet been established.

Canada’s Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation because the aircraft was Canadian-registered, with U.S. authorities assisting. Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s flight data, communications, wreckage and the reported electrical problems.

A FAMILY AND COMMUNITY LEFT GRIEVING

For the families of Marilyn Bean, Sergio Lottimore and the four Canadian crew members, the tragedy has brought a devastating end to a flight that began as a medical journey.

Bermuda Premier David Burt expressed condolences to the families, saying the community had hoped for a different outcome.

As investigators work to determine exactly what happened in the aircraft’s final moments, loved ones are left remembering the six people whose lives were connected by one final flight across the Atlantic.

They boarded the aircraft to travel toward Boston.

They never arrived.

And now, families on both sides of the Atlantic are left waiting for answers.