Seaplane victim Emma Bowden was daughter of former Tory MP

Seaplane victims Emma and Heather Bowden were the daughter and granddaughter of a prominent Conservative party politician.

Emma Bowden and her daughter Heather, aged 11. Picture: Facebook.

Two of the victims of the New Year’s Eve seaplane crash were family members of a prominent Conservative party politician.

Emma Bowden and her 11-year-old daughter Heather, died in the crash alongside Emma’s fiancee, the Compass chief executive Richard Cousins and his two adult sons, William and Edward, after returning from lunch at Cottage Point before the Sydney Harbour fireworks.

This morning it was revealed that the OK! Magazine art editor Emma, 42, and Heather were the daughter and granddaughter of Gerry Bowden, who served for nine years in Margaret Thatcher’s Tory government in the 1980s and into the early 1990s.

Mr Bowden, 82, released a statement to the British newspaper The Telegraph on behalf of himself and his other children Kate, Rebecca and Oliver. It read: “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. 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 Bowden had met Mr Cousins in a chance encounter in a London pub about a year after Mr Cousins’ wife had died suddenly of cancer, and the two families had been thrilled Mr Cousins and Ms Bowden were so happy together. Wedding invitations had been sent out just before Christmas. It was also revealed that Ms Bowden had named her daughter Heather in honour of her mother, also called Heather who had died at the age of 44.