With profound sadness, Marilyn Lavonne Bean, Sergio Wayne Lottimore, Philip Gregory Childerhose, Thomas Henry Farquhar, Sarah Jane Paton and Jolene Beth Weir are being remembered after the tragic loss of a medical evacuation flight traveling from Bermuda to Boston.
The six were aboard Heartbeat 104, a Gulfstream G100 operated by Latitude Air Ambulance, when the aircraft disappeared over the Atlantic during the early morning hours of Saturday, October 3, 2026. The flight had departed L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda and was bound for Boston Logan International Airport.
As the aircraft approached Massachusetts, the crew reported electrical difficulties and declared an emergency. Air traffic controllers subsequently lost contact with the aircraft as it descended rapidly over the Atlantic, south of Nantucket.
A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched by the U.S. Coast Guard and partner agencies. Debris associated with the aircraft was eventually located approximately 20 miles off Nantucket. After an extensive search covering thousands of miles over roughly 66 hours, the Coast Guard suspended the rescue operation. With no survivors found, all six people aboard are now presumed to have died.
Marilyn Lavonne Bean and Sergio Wayne Lottimore
Among those aboard were 66-year-old Marilyn Lavonne Bean and her 41-year-old son, Sergio Wayne Lottimore, both Bermudian nationals.
Marilyn was being transported to Boston for medical treatment, with Sergio accompanying her as a family member. Their journey, which began as a flight intended to bring Marilyn closer to needed medical care, ended in an unimaginable tragedy.
Their deaths have left family members, friends and the wider Bermuda community mourning a mother and son whose lives were connected by family, love and a final journey taken together.
Sergio was also remembered within his professional and local community. Reports described him as a respected member of Bermuda’s business community and a former student whose loss was deeply felt by those who knew him.
Four Medical Professionals Remembered
The four Canadian crew members aboard Heartbeat 104 were identified as Captain Philip Gregory Childerhose, First Officer Thomas Henry Farquhar, Flight Nurse Sarah Jane Paton and Respiratory Therapist Jolene Beth Weir. All four worked for Ontario-based Latitude Air Ambulance.
Latitude Air Ambulance has paid tribute to the four professionals, remembering them not simply for the tragedy that ended their lives, but for the care and dedication they brought to their work.
Philip Childerhose, the aircraft’s captain, was remembered by Latitude as kind-hearted, deeply passionate about aviation and dedicated to his family, friends and colleagues.
Thomas Farquhar, the first officer, was remembered as a gentle and caring person who offered kindness and support to those around him.
Sarah Paton, the flight nurse, was remembered for her bright personality, kindness, humor and dedication to caring for others. Her work as a nurse reflected a commitment to helping people during some of their most vulnerable moments.
Jolene Weir, the respiratory therapist, was remembered for her compassion, love for family and friends, and passion for helping others. Latitude said her years of experience caring for patients, combined with her love of travel, made her work with the air ambulance company especially meaningful. She was also remembered in her roles as a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend.
The four medical professionals were carrying out a mission centered on helping people when the tragedy occurred. Latitude said the crew dedicated themselves to caring for patients and families during some of life’s most difficult moments.
A Tragedy That Has Left Two Communities Mourning
The loss of Heartbeat 104 has brought grief to both Bermuda and Canada, while the tragedy has also deeply affected the medical aviation community and the families of everyone aboard.
What began as a medical evacuation flight became a devastating loss of six lives — a patient, her son and four professionals who had devoted themselves to helping others.
The investigation into the accident is being led by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, with assistance from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and other authorities. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the crash, and Latitude Air Ambulance has said it will not speculate while the investigation continues.
Behind the aircraft, the emergency response and the investigation were six individual lives — people with families, careers, friendships, responsibilities and dreams. Their stories will continue through the memories of those who knew and loved them.
May Marilyn Lavonne Bean, Sergio Wayne Lottimore, Philip Gregory Childerhose, Thomas Henry Farquhar, Sarah Jane Paton and Jolene Beth Weir be remembered with dignity, compassion and respect.
May they rest peacefully, and may their families, friends, colleagues and communities find strength and comfort in the difficult days ahead.
