Tributes have been paid to the four crew members on board an aircraft that went missing during a medical evacuation flight from Bermuda to Boston in the early hours of Saturday.

The United States Coast Guard suspended its search on Sunday night for the Gulfstream G100 jet, registration C‑GRJP, carrying two Bermudians and four Canadians which crashed off Nantucket, Massachusetts.

The two Bermudians on board were named by police as Marilyn Lavonne Bean and her son, Sergio Wayne Lottimore.

The four-strong Canadian crew were subsequently named by the US Coast Guard as Captain Philip Gregory Childerhose, First Officer Thomas Henry Farquhar, Sarah Jane Paton, a flight nurse, and Jolene Beth Weir, a respiratory therapist.

Peter Byl, the president of Latitude Air Ambulance, said: “To all of us at Latitude, our crew were much more than names.

“They were colleagues, friends and members of our family. Each brought something special to our company, to the people they worked beside and to the patients and families entrusted to their care.”

Sharing more about the crew members, a statement from Latitude added: “Phil was a person of great integrity, incredibly kind-hearted and extremely passionate about aviation.

“He was dedicated to his family, friends and colleagues. He touched the hearts of everyone he talked to and helped anyone who was in need.

“Tommy was loved by everyone who ever met him. He was a gentle giant who reflected Jesus’s love — a safe place and a helping hand to all.

“Sarah was a bright, joyful presence whose kindness, humour and generosity touched everyone around her.

“A dedicated nurse, she devoted her life to caring for others and was known by her family as selfless, hard-working, determined and full of life.

“Jolene was a presence unlike any other who loved her family and friends and had a passion for helping others.

“With years of experience caring for others as a respiratory therapist in a hospital, combined with her love of travel and seeing the world, Latitude truly was her dream job.”

My Byl said: “Our colleagues dedicated themselves to helping people at some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

“That was the mission they were carrying out aboard Heartbeat 104.

“We want their families to know that we will remember not simply how we lost them but how they lived, how they served and what they meant to the people around them.”

The company also extended its respect and deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of Ms Bean and Mr Lottimore.

Latitude said it continued to support the families of its crew members and its employees as they grieve.

The company noted that it will continue to co-operate fully with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada — leading inquiries, the US National Transportation Safety Board and all other relevant authorities as recovery efforts and the investigation proceed.

The US Coast Guard said it was aware that a civilian vessel in the area located debris in the water associated with the aircraft.

“During this incredibly difficult time, our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends impacted by this tragic incident,” said Rear Admiral Matthew Lake, Commander, Coast Guard Northeast District.

“We are grateful to the crews and partner agencies who quickly responded to this incident and we will continue to support our Canadian partners as they conduct their investigation.”