Monthly Archives: May 2017

The Coast Guard had been searching for an airplane with four Americans aboard that was reported missing Monday.

On board were Jennifer Blumin, 40, from New York City, Nathan Ulrich, 52, from Lee, New Hampshire; and Blumin's 3-year-old and 4-year-old sons.

The wreckage "appears to be airplane debris," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric Woodall, spokesperson for the US Coast Guard District 7.

It was spotted about 15 miles east of Eleuthera, Bahamas, by a helicopter crew. A rescue swimmer retrieved some materials to take ashore for identification.

The MU-2B airplane departed Borinquen, Puerto Rico, at about 11 a.m. Monday and became overdue after failing to arrive in Titusville, Florida. Air Traffic Control in Miami reported losing radar and radio contact from an MU-2B about 37 miles east of Eleuthera at 2:10 p.m. Communication was reported lost at 24,000 feet with a speed of 300 knots, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard tweeted a photo of the missing plane.

CNN is trying to reach a spokesperson for the company.

The company confirmed she and members of her family were on the plane.

"Her family is working with investigators and we politely ask that you respect their privacy at this time," said Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Kelley, a Coast Guard spokesman.

WABC reported Ulrich was listed as the pilot, but it was not known who was flying it at the time, Kelly said. Blumin owned the plane through a consulting company, according to New York State and aviation records.

Ulrich's family is "devastated and shocked," his father, Gael Ulrich, said in a statement to CNN.

"Nathan is our beloved son, brother and uncle and we wish for resolution as the Coast Guard search continues," he said.

Actress Rae Dawn Chong, of "The Color Purple" and "Commando," tweeted that she and Ulrich were previously married.

Her tweet said, "My ex-hubby's (Nathan Ulrich) plane is missing over the Bermuda Triangle. I am sad and in shock. So send prayers to his family. Thanks."

Ulrich is a co-founder of Xootr, a New York-based company that manufactures scooters and folding bicycles. He is also listed online as a technical director and race car designer for Radon Sport.

CNN's Dakin Andone contributed to this report.

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Apparent airplane debris found off coast of Bahamas - CNN

NH man, 3 others on plane missing over Bahamas

Updated: 11:12 PM EDT May 16, 2017

WEBVTT AT DEBRIS FIELD TO RETRIEVEPIECES THAT WILL HELP IDENTIFYTHE PLANE.TONIGHT, THE COAST GUARD SAYSTHE SEARCH FOR SURVIVORSCONTINUES.THE COAST GUARD SAYS THIS IS THETWIN ENGINE PLANE THATDISAPPEARED.52-YEAR-OLD NATHAN ULRICH FROMLEE IS LISTED AS THE PILOT,PICTURED HERE ON HIS FACEBOOKPAGE.HE WAS FLYING 40-YEAR-OLDJENNIFER BLOOM AND, A NEW YORKEVENT DESIGNER.THE COMPANY SHE FOUNDEDCONFIRMED THAT SHE WAS TRAVELINGWITH HER THREE-YEAR-OLD ANDFOUR-YEAR-OLD SONS AND THAT SHEOWNS THE PLANE.THEY TOOK OFF FROM PUERTO RICOAT 11:00 A.M. MONDAY, BOUND FORFLORIDA.AT 2:10, MIAMI AIR TRAFFICCONTROL LOST CONTACT AT 24,000FEET.AT 3:30 THIS AFTERNOON, THECOAST GUARD SPOTTED A DEBRISFIELD AND OIL SLICK 15 MILESEAST OF AN ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS.WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE AIRCRAFTSEARCHING TODAY.WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEROYAL BAHAMIA SEARCH FOR US.JEAN: THIS AFTERNOON, NATHANULRICH'S EX-WIFE, ACTRESS RAEDAWN CHONG, TWEETED MYEX-HUBBY'S PLANE IS MISSING OVERTHE BERMUDA TRIANGLE.I AM SAD AND IN SHOCK.SO SEND PRAYERS TO HIS FAMILY.AND THIS EVENING, THE ULRICHFAMILY POSTED ON HIS FACEBOOKPAGE, WE WERE DEVASTATED AND SHOCKEDTO LEARN THAT NATHAN, JENNIFERAND HER CHILDREN HAVE BEENMISSING SINCE LEAVING FROMPUERTO RICO ON MONDAY.NATHAN IS OUR BELOVED SON,BROTHER AND UNCLE AND WE WISHFOR RESOLUTION AS THE COASTGUARD SEARCH CONTINUES.OUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS AREWITH THE BLUMIN FAMILY.NATHAN ULRICH ATTENDED OYSTERRIVER HIGH SCHOOL AND WAS APILOT IN THE COAST GUARDAUXILIARY STATIONED IN CAPE CODFROM 2004-2015.

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NH man, 3 others on plane missing over Bahamas - WMUR Manchester

THE MANUFACTURER OF our 30 year old motor yacht, Ocean Alexander, has an annual rendezvous. This year it was held at Dunsmore Town on Harbor Island, Eluethera, Bahamas.

Long time boating friends, George and Jeanne Richter of North Fort Myers, agreed to join us on the month long cruise. It is essential to have an experienced crew along.

In late March we provisioned and Kathy prepared several menu items to put in the small freezer on the back deck. Preparation includes removing boxes from cereal, crackers, pizzas, and anything else that takes up extra room. A boat mechanic was summoned for last minute repairs and mechanical inspections.

It takes 2-3 days to cross the state of Florida on the Caloosahatchee Waterway through Lake Okeechobee. Then it was weather watch time for crossing the Atlantic, 94 miles from Lake Worth to Bimini. We fueled in Alicetown, Bimini at $4.35 a gallon and took on water at 75 cents a gallon. It is a prime location for deep sea fishing. The 143 mile trip to Nassau was uneventful except for the beauty of nature. After three days there we departed for Spanish Wells where we connected with Jock Morgan who would captain our vessel across Devils Backbone, a dangerous area of coral reefs around the north end of the island of Eluethera. The rendezvous was held at Valentines Resort and Marina and provided us with three days of planned activities and visiting eight yachts that were there.

Our daughter Stephanie and son-in-law Chuck flew into Nassau and took the fast ferry to meet us. After a couple more days of exploring Harbour Island we were ready to cruise to the Staniel Cay area of the Exumas.

On the way we enjoyed the 49 mile jaunt to the DECCA station on Pipe Cay near Staniel Cay. It felt like we were getting home as we tied onto the 150 foot concrete wall built by the British government as a Loran tracking station. The station has been abandoned for more than 20 years, since GPS replaced Loran. We have created many wonderful memories on that tiny island over the years. The only sounds are of the birds, the waves, the wind and the hum of our generator twice a day. When it was time for Stephanie and Chuck to go back to Minnesota we left the DECCA station and anchored near Big Majors, where the swimming pigs reside.

Steve and Cynthia Hibbard, my niece, of Ocala, Florida arrived next and we were able to get dock space at Staniel Cay. One of the highlights the following morning was snorkeling at Thunderball Grotto where the James Bond movie, Thunderball, was filmed. The Staniel Cay Yacht Club harbormaster, Chubby, said this winter was the busiest in history with a record number of chartered mega yachts in the Exumas. Some of these yachts rent for over $50,000 for one week plus expenses.

The Bahamas, especially the Exumas, have long been a favorite area to explore and relax. We noticed several differences this year that we had not experienced before. With little dock space available the anchorages were all full. The numbers of people aboard the large yachts caused the beaches where we formerly could find multitudes sea biscuits, shells, sand dollars and sea glass were all picked clean. We found several baby conch shells that had been taken out of the water and left to die. We were disturbed by the lack of respect for nature.

The cost of food, dockage, water, electricity and supplies had increased dramatically. The Bahamas had instituted a VAT tax and most restaurants now include a 20% gratuity in their bill. Parts which have to be shipped in have high duty. There are great mechanics and workers there and the people are still friendly and courteous. After a few repair challenges we returned to our Ft. Myers Marina to prepare for the summer in Minnesota.

Gene Johnson is publisher emeritus of Press Publications.

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Cruising the Bahamas - Press Pubs

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under renewed attack Tuesday in the House of Commons over his vacation on a private Bahamas island, following the revelation that the Aga Khan's island is legally owned by a company with ties to corporations located in countries known to be tax havens.

New Democratic Party Leader Tom Mulcair led offwith his questioning about the island'sownership structure.

"The prime minister's explanation of his now infamous vacation is so full of holes and contradictions it is starting to sound like a White House press briefing," he told the House.

"The prime minister broke the law by taking a private helicopter to the island. He defended this by saying that it was simply a family vacation with a family friend along with a few senior Liberals. Now we learn that the island doesn't actually belong to the family friend. So will the prime minister finally own up to this entire mess and admit that he should never have taken that exclusive holiday?"

Mulcair also called on Trudeau to admit that the helicopter used by the Aga Khan was not the only way to get to Bell Island.

Trudeau, however, stuck to his talking points, saying that he was co-operating with Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson's investigation into his vacation.

"This was a personal family vacation with a longtime friend, and I am happy to work with the ethics commissioner to answer any questions she may have."

The exchange came after an investigation by CBC News into Bell Island and the helicopter that carried Trudeau to the tropical retreat over the Christmas holidays found a trail that includes several different companies and four countries known for their favourable tax rules.

A wooden pathway leads to a scenic lookout on Bell Island in the Bahamas. (CBC)

The legal ownership of Bell Island involves a number of shell companies and nominee directors with links to Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse. A title search reveals that the legal owner of Bell Island is Island of Discovery Ltd. The directors of Island of Discovery are two other companies that were mentioned in the Panama Papers database of offshore tax haven documents.

A handwritten notation on the travel expenses for Privy Council technician Brad Cotten's tripindicates a $1,200 US payment for Cotten's accommodation on the island was to be remitted to a fourth company, Lexthree Ltd.

The reasons for the complex corporate structure are unclear, and officials working with the Aga Khan have refused to comment.

Setting up offshore companies is legal and there can be legitimate reasons for using networks of offshore companies with nominee directors.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the Aga Khan on Parliament Hill in Ottawa a year ago. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

However, experts say it is also the kind of structure often used by those who are trying to hide assets or avoid or evade taxes. While tax avoidance can be legal, evading taxes is not.

On Tuesday, the Aga Khan was in Ottawa for the opening of the Global Centre for Pluralism, an education and research centre built in part with $30 million from the Canadian government. Reporters were unable to ask him any questions.

Although Trudeau was less than three kilometres away and has repeatedly described the Aga Khan as a longtime family friend, he was noticeably absent from the ceremony attended by more than 200 people.

Heritage Minister Mlanie Joly, the only member of Trudeau's cabinet to attend, refused to say whether Trudeau had been invited to the opening.

Joly was also tight-lipped when asked about the complex corporate structure surrounding Bell Island.

"This is a subject that is not linked to the government of Canada," she told reporters. "We committed $1 billion to countering tax evasion."

Conservative MP Blaine Calkins said the latest revelation about Bell Island underscore's Trudeau's lack of judgment in deciding to vacation there.

"It was a lack of judgment to spend taxpayers' money to go there in the first place," he said in an interview.

"It was a lack of judgment to not only break the ethical rules and the standards that he set for himself, not only that but the Ethics Act, when it comes to taking a flight on a private helicopter. Now it seems to be just compounding itself and it's a problem."

Calkins said he is concerned that the fallout over Trudeau's vacation and Bell Island could affect funding for the Aga Khan Foundation Canada.

"It would be a real shame, I think if this friendship that he has is going to affect the future funding for that foundation, which does good work."

Fellow Conservative MP Chris Warkentin waded into the debate during question period, asking Trudeau about his future vacation planning.

"Mr. Speaker, it is that time of the year again when families start making plans for their summer vacations. I am wondering if the prime minister can commit to getting an estimate in advance from the Privy Council Office on how much his summer vacation dreams might cost. I am hoping that he will maybe take that into consideration when he chooses what to do and where to go this time."

Duff Conacher of Democracy Watch, said Trudeau is talking about ethics but not "walking the ethics walk."

"Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal cabinet and government officials are not being careful enough in dealing with people who are seeking to influence their decisions, including accepting this gift of a trip from the Aga Khan."

Elizabeth Thompson can be reached at elizabeth.thompson@cbc.ca

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Trudeau under renewed attack for Bahamas vacation - CBC.ca

Coast Guard Finds Debris From Private Plane Missing Over Bahamas Wall Street Journal (subscription) Searchers on Tuesday spotted debris from a plane that disappeared over the Bahamas with four people on board, including a New York woman and her two children, the Coast Guard said. Air-traffic controllers in Miami lost contact with the Mitsubishi ...

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Coast Guard Finds Debris From Private Plane Missing Over Bahamas - Wall Street Journal (subscription)