Dear Premier Burt,
It is with profound sadness that I extend, on behalf of the Government and people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and on my own behalf, our deepest condolences to you, the Government and people of Bermuda following the tragic loss of the medical evacuation aircraft and the six persons who were on board.
We were deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Bermudian nationals, Ms. Marilyn Lavonne Bean and her son, Mr. Sergio Wayne Lottimore, together with the four Canadian crew members who accompanied them on this vital medical mission. Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of all six persons whose lives were lost. Behind each name is a family, a circle of loved ones and a community now confronted with an immeasurable absence.
For the Turks and Caicos Islands, this tragedy carries a particular resonance. The ties between our islands extend beyond our shared status as British Overseas Territories. Our peoples are connected by centuries of history, with Bermudians playing an important role in the early settlement and development of the Turks Islands. These longstanding ties give even deeper meaning to the solidarity we feel with Bermuda in this moment of national grief.
We also share an intimate understanding of the importance of medical evacuation services to island communities. Like Bermuda, the Turks and Caicos Islands relies significantly on these services to connect our people with specialised and life-saving care overseas. We understand the hope that accompanies such,a journey, the hope of a patient seeking care, of a loved one travelling by their side, and of the medical and aviation professionals entrusted with bringing them safely to that care. It is especially painful that a journey undertaken in the hope of healing should have ended in such profound loss.
Our sorrow extends equally to the four Canadian professionals who lost their lives while carrying out this mission: Captain Philip Childerhose, First Officer Thomas Farquhar, Flight Nurse Sarah Paton and Respiratory Therapist Jolene Weir. Their work placed them in positions of immense trust and responsibility, serving patients and families during some of life's most vulnerable moments. We mourn their loss alongside the people of Bermuda and Canada and extend our heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, and colleagues.
The sorrow occasioned by this tragedy reaches far beyond Bermuda's shores. Yet, in the midst of such tremendous grief, I pray that the families of those lost will draw strength from the compassion and support being extended to them from Bermuda, Canada, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the wider international community. Premier Burt, please know that the Government and people of the Turks and Caicos Islands stand with you and the people of Bermuda during this difficult time. Please convey our deepest sympathies to the families of Ms. Bean and Mr. Lottimore and to the wider Bermudian community as it mourns this heartbreaking loss.
May the words of Sacred Scripture bring solace to every grieving heart:
“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” — Psalm 34:18 (NLT)
May the souls of all six persons lost rest in eternal peace, and may their families and loved ones be granted comfort, strength and peace in the difficult days ahead.
With deepest sympathy and prayers,
Yours sincerely
Hon. Charles Washington Misick, OBE
Premier and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Investment and Trade
Turks and Caicos Islands
