Families and friends of NYE seaplane crash search for answers
SIX days ago one of the worst aviation disasters NSW has ever experienced rocked family and friends all over the world. In an emotional tribute to his mate Gareth Morgan, his former flatmate reveals their nicknames were ‘Maverick’ and ‘Iceman’ from the iconic movie Top Gun.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
SIX days ago one of the worst aviation disasters NSW has ever experienced rocked family and friends from over the world.
Just after 3pm on New Year’s Eve, a Sydney Seaplane took off from Cottage Point Inn then nosedived and smashed into the Hawkesbury River before flipping over on to its roof killing pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, passengers 58-year-old British millionaire Richard Cousins, his two sons Edward and William, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her daughter Heather, 11.
In an emotional tribute to his mate Gareth Morgan, former flatmate Garry Homanick reveals their nicknames were ‘Maverick’ and ‘Iceman’ from the 1986 movie Top Gun.
Val Kilmer’s character ‘Iceman’ said, ‘You can be my wingman any time” to Tom Cruise’s character ‘Maverick, to which he quipped back, “Bulls**t, you can be mine”.
Homanick says in his tribute, “It was New Year’s Eve 2017, and three quarters until midnight when I got the call that would shake my life to the core.
“I nervously searched the news headlines in Sydney and soon found out that your tragedy was the new reality for us all.
“In a moment of swift and sudden panic, I froze. “This better be a joke! Please God, not him, not now, I’m not ready for this.” I cried. But deep down, I knew it was true.
“I just don’t know how to express what your untimely loss means to everyone that you’ve known in your life.
“For those who knew us within our closest circles, the nicknames “Iceman & Maverick” were never far away during the first few years (especially on movie nights).
“You were (and still are) one of the best friends and wingman I’ve ever had when facing the challenges of life. No matter what the world threw at us, we faced it head on and in full support of one another.
“They called us “The North American G-Force” for a reason. I just wish you were here so I could remind you of what it has meant to have such a brotherly culture while living overseas without any immediate family around. In return, I was always so happy to be there for you in any way that I could be, especially when you needed a brother to talk to during your years working away in The Maldives.
“Like the gentle streams of water running down from the mountains, your personality had a way of calming everyone you came contact with. And with all the challenges that come with the seasons of life, there were times where my temperament became like a forest that caught on fire from within.
“Serving others was not just what you did, but it was who you were. I can only imagine how many other people you served in this way throughout your life. And I have every reason to believe this will be one of the things that what will shine the brightest about your legacy on this side of Eternity.
“On the night that I found out the tragic news of your passing, my mother and I witnessed a shooting star in the sky while driving home. It was made of the purest white light that I have ever seen. I instantly thought you, Gareth.
And just then, my mother said, “He’s saying goodbye, Gary ...”.
“Fighting back tears, I replied, “I know ... and although it feels like he’s also saying ‘I’m OK’ ...
“I thought about keeping this to myself, but I will not deny the rest of your loved ones this moment. Therefore, may it be known far and wide.”
TRIBUTES FOR THE COUSINS AND BOWDEN FAMILIES
Instead of looking forward to the wedding of his daughter Emma Bowden to millionaire businessman Richard Cousins, Gerry Bowden is planning to take home the bodies of Emma, and her daughter Heather for their funerals.
The mother and daughter died in the crash in the Hawkesbury River alongside Emma’s fiancee, the Compass chief executive Mr Cousins and his two adult sons, William and Edward, as they left Cottage Point Inn after lunch to return to Sydney Harbour.
Canadian pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, also perished.
Mr Bowden, 82, who served for nine years in Margaret Thatcher’s Tory government in the 1980s and into the early 1990s, released a statement on behalf of himself and his other children Kate, Rebecca and Oliver.
“Gerry Bowden and all his family are devastated by the loss of dear Emma and dear Heather who spread happiness and joy among all they met throughout their lives,” the statement said.
“We deeply feel their loss but their memory will shine brightly forever. We were looking forward to the wedding in the summer.
“We were all utterly delighted Emma and Richard were so obviously in love and looking forward to a life together. As a family we would appreciate peace and privacy at this sad time.’’
Emma, the art editor of OK! Magazine, met Mr Cousins in a London pub about a year after his wife died of cancer in 2015.
He was poised to retire from his UKPounds5.6 million a year job as boss of the world’s biggest catering firm at Easter and marry Ms Bowden in June.
Heather’s father Alex Page, who lives in Prague, separated from Ms Bowden several years ago and was said to be in such a state of profound shock that he is physically unable to speak.
Mr Cousins’ older brothers Simon and Andrew are believed to have flown to Australia to take the bodies home.
Ms Bowden’s friends yesterday paid tribute to her.
“I was luckily enough to have worked with Emma for 10 years at OK! Her smile lit up the room ... she was one of the kindest, warmest people I’ve ever met. Sending love and prayers to her family," Natalie Posner wrote.
Another friend Kate Bignold posted a picture of the pair on Facebook, writing: “I’ll always love you. Goodbye darling Emma Bowden, my friend since we were 5.”
BROTHERS THANK HEROES AS TEARS FLOW
The brothers of cricket-loving millionaire Richard Cousins thanked the heroic fishing mates who tried to save the businessman and the five other victims of the fatal New Year’s Eve seaplane crash.
Simon and Andrew Cousins have arrived in Sydney to take home the bodies of their sibling, 58, his sons William, 23, and Edward, 25, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her daughter Heather, 11.
They paid tribute to the holidaying friends Todd Sellars, Lachlan Hewitt and Kurt Bratby who risked their lives diving into the Hawkesbury River just after the crash as aviation fuel leaked from the plane.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved for their dedication and commitment, in particular the Sydney Water Police and those members of the public who helped on the day of the accident,” the brothers said in a statement released through the British Consulate General in Sydney.
As they faced the sad task of arranging the funerals, the tragedy has also shattered locals in Mr Cousins’ home village of Hyde Heath, Buckinghamshire.
“Just today I went to the village shop and the lady who runs it was in tears. The whole cricket club turned out for them at the local pub on New Year’s Day … we were all very close,” local Caroline Capper said.
Ms Capper, who with her husband, John, lived next door to Mr Cousins for 18 years, said that being a villager gave the high-flying boss of the world’s biggest catering firm, Compass, the “chance of normal life”.
A much-loved part of that was the local Hyde Heath Cricket Club. He was a committee member, passionate part-time player and when the club unveiled its new scoreboard in 2016, they dedicated it, in part, to his late wife Caroline who died in 2015 of cancer.
“Sometimes when his plane didn’t land until 2, he would still go home, have a shower and walk over if not to play maybe just to sit, umpire, have a chat,” Ms Capper said.
The Cappers said they received the invitation to Mr Cousins’ July wedding to Ms Bowden on December 30. It was to be held at London’s exclusive, Hurlingham Club.
The next day they woke to the news of the seaplane crash half a world away.
“I just can’t compute what has happened. I look out the windows from our house to theirs and realise that they are all gone … they are all dead,” Ms Capper said.
GARETH MORGAN’S FAMILY ARRIVE IN SYDNEY
The heartbroken parents of the pilot at the helm of the doomed Hawkesbury River seaplane crash have told of their utter “devastation” at losing their son.
Shortly after landing in Sydney after a gruelling flight from Toronto, Dudley and Orlis Morgan issued a statement describing the 44-year-old as a “wonderful” and “caring son” as they now brace themselves to help detectives with ongoing inquiries.
Mrs Morgan is said to have been left “broken” by news of her son’s death in New Year’s Eve when the seaplane he was flying nosedived into the Hawkesbury River killing all on board, friends say.
INXS crowned with hottest Aussie song of all time
INXS’ Never Tear Us Apart has been voted the hottest Australian song ever by Triple J listeners, topping a special Hottest 100 that spanned five decades of homegrown hits - from Cold Chisel, The Veronicas and Kylie to Gang of Youths and Gotye.
‘We want answers’: Young dancer dies hours after hospital release
Layla-Maria Grubb’s devastated family are trying to piece together exactly what happened in the last few hours of her life, after she was tragically found unresponsive at home last Saturday afternoon.