The Tribune

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

THE family of one of two men missing after a plane crash off Acklins met law enforcement officers yesterday as search and recovery efforts continue.

Passenger Steven Sawyer and pilot Cliff Dean, were last seen on Friday, March 5. A yellow and white Piper PA28 aircraft, piloted by Mr Dean, departed Lynden Pindling International Airport at 8am en route to Inagua before crashing into the ocean off Acklins.

“We have a meeting today (Sunday) at 4pm to discuss the next phase of our own search,” said Judy Brown, Mr Sawyer’s mother.

“We are not giving up hope. The Coast Guard and Defence Force are doing their part and private citizens are also doing a search of the area as well. We have done all the area around Acklins and nothing has shown up as yet.

“We don’t feel the plane has crashed as there is no debris or anything like that so we feel they are drifting and might have gotten caught up in Cuban waters. Now we cannot go searching in Cuban water. That is crossing international lines so we leave that up to the Defence Force, but we have sent Steven’s picture to people we know in Cuba to see if he was seen there.”

Ms Brown said she is asking sympathisers to hold off on sending “condolences” as she says there is no evidence that her son is dead.

“I see some people posting a lot of kind words in condolences and I am asking them to stop,” she said. “No one has said my son is dead so I don’t know why they are doing that. There is no body presented to us and no proof or evidence that Steven is dead. So please stop that. God forbid, but until a body is presented to me, then I am going to hold the faith that Steven is alive and will return home.”

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force and US Coast Guard are leading the search.

The incident is also being investigated by the Air Accident Investigation Authority.

Over the weekend there were no updates from any of the entities involved in the search for the missing men.

The last update from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force said the agency continues to work with its partnering agencies in the search for the missing aircraft.