A model of the winning design for the Lost at Sea Memorial was unveiled by Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown last week at Albuoy?s Point.

Dr. Brown said that ?the decision to create a memorial was spurred on by the tragic events of January 5, 2003, when the fishing vessel the was overturned during very rough weather conditions, taking the lives of two of Bermuda?s own, Micah Battersbee and Allen Edness.

?Since that fateful day in January 2003, Bermuda has seen other maritime mishaps,? he continued, ?and this Government believes that the decision to create this memorial could not be more timely, or more necessary.?

The Memorial is meant to provide an area of comfort for the families of those lost at sea and also mark Bermuda?s long-running tradition of seafaring.

It is a symbol honouring those who were lost and also somewhere their family?s can go, to remember.

Although Dr. Brown was ?amazed? at the work of the 20 local artists who submitted pieces, it was his old schoolmate, William (Mussey) Ming?s design ?figurehead? that was chosen.

The Memorial Committee called it ?sympathetic and emotional?.

The construction is promising to involve four different Government Ministries: Works and Engineering and Housing, Environment, Community Affairs & Sport and Transport.

The little boat that was unveiled yesterday was a model of the full scale product which artist William Ming said would be ?human-sized ... Around seven or eight feet.?

Mr. Ming, who formally worked on ships at 18, is going to get a feel for the layout of the area where the memorial will be situated in Battery Park, St. David?s.

His design can be made out of wood or a mixture of wood and other materials.

Mr. Ming said the design was ?out in the ocean waiting for [him, and he pulled it up with a fishhook.? He said he was a ?conduit?.

The artist, who lives in London, said he wanted his figurehead to be something people could touch because he has worked with the blind and ?wanted it to feel like it had been lying down there for aeons?.

Neither Dr. Brown nor Director of Marine and Ports Barry Coupland would confirm whether the memorial would honour the victims of Hurricane Fabian in September 2003: P.c. Stephen Symons, P.c. Nicole O?Connor, duty station officer Gladys Saunders and civilian Manuel Pacheco.

However, Dr. Brown wished ?to encourage members of the community to contact the Ministry of Transport at 295-3130....to update a list of names of the individuals who should be included in this memorial.?