Commodore Bethel said training is always ongoing at the force. Major underscored it was the departments policy for the family will receive a copy of the report before it is released the general public. Byron Ferguson Profiles | Facebook We have to work with our Defence Force to get them to see that, yes even if its only in finding a crash site that is as important to the defence of the well-being of the Bahamian people, defending our well-being because how can we prevent such things happening unless we properly investigate each and every one? And so I certainly in my position will reach out as quickly as is possible to my colleagues to see that whatever the error, whatever the procedural missteps . Ferguson's early love of shooting a bow and arrow, can in part, be attributed to some of his greatest influences, the . The Fergusons family have gotten local and foreign pilots to assist with an aerial search of the Nirvana Beach and surrounding areas. During the flight it was reported the door was an issue as usually one knows on takeoff not to mention there is a "door ajar" indicator clearly in view, then soon after an engine problem? The family said that they are due and deserve facts and professionalism from those responsible for conducting this search and investigation. For Byron Nelson's widow, her husband's name on an apartment complex The first order of business is the preservation of life, Mr Dames said. In 2003 Byron formed BYRON FERGUSON PRODUCTIONS, a full service video production company. Byron is the author of "Become The Arrow" a paperback instructional book on bare bow shooting as well as the video of the same title and other archery related video's. Mr. Dames suggested that there could be a number of reasons divers were not sent into waters on last Thursday, procurement of life being one of them. So for that day we would have cleared that dive search area. They offer catch and release bass fishing in their private lakes, wildlife viewing, and photography. It cannot be the situation. Byron Ferguson, 256-773-2467 byronferguson@msn.com. Commander Shone Pinder, the airway commanding officer for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, said there were no clear indications of bodies in the plane on Thursday during the original search. However, while Mr Bethel attempted to make a compelling case for these efforts since the incident last week Thursday, neither he nor other officials present could definitively tell reporters at what time the search was suspended in the hours following the crash in waters off Nirvana beach. It was also contended that there had been no dive search efforts on Saturday and Sunday due to inclement weather. Deleveaux told The Nassau Guardian that authorities believe the plane may have shifted from its original position. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Flooding at LPIA caused by failure in fire suppression line, COP sounds off on the granting of bail for repeat offenders, Bahamian producers take center stage on major project, Central Bank acknowledges less than satisfactory bank account opening time, touts improvements. Later he said specific times would eventually be documented for public knowledge, but as an investigation is ongoing the information could not be released. The only thing you can say is the current may have carried it., Bjorn Ferguson added, What makes it so egregious is the fact that for two or three consecutive days, you had family members standing up on this beach; obviously we dont have time to waste, were here because we know something happened, and none of the authorities, in particular the lead agency, has sought to send a liaison person and get correct information.. Craig Ferguson dead 2023 : Television host killed by - Mediamass I think all of them have been equipped; whether they are all 100 per cent working, I will have to get a report on that.. Byron Ferguson Archery School - Goodman Ranch We still have teams of defence force and police officers in the Nirvana Beach area continuing the search, he said. Source: Netflix. His family described him as an experienced pilot, who had been flying since he was 14. the woodsman is a two lamination . See the difficulty is, because its on the marine side, then an unmotivated entity, an entity that is not sensitised to that particular job see it may be sensitised to catching smugglers, catching human traffickers, catching poachers (and) defence and so for this aspect of civil intervention into some crisis, perhaps there is a need for stronger sensitisation of the marine unit of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force to ensure that the sense of urgency that the family feels is also shared by those who are in the immediate vicinity and that the principle of no stone left unturned until we find this thing must prevail, because this is the second time now and I am only going based on what I heard. The dive search area that we initiated on that day was pretty much focusing around the search area where the last sighting of the tail of the plane as noted.. The search was expanded yesterday (Sunday) to include waters and (coastlines) off of the east coast of North Andros, including the Joulter Cays and the south coast of the Berry Islands including Chub Cay and Whale Cay, the commodore said. You are trying to preserve or trying to protect the life of those who may have been involved in the incident; but we have to always be cognizant that we also have to ensure, thats the first responders that is, and this is no different anywhere the world over, they have to ensure that they too preserve their lives. Major explained that this was standard protocol for pilots flying over open waters by night. Byron strongly believes in Howard Hill's philosophy: If you want to become a good archer then you should learn the bow and let your body become an extension of the bow. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In fact, I can definitely tell you that were Byron still alive, he wouldn't have agreed to such a thing, and he would have been even more unhappy with what you have done." In an interview,. $599.00 Details Add To Cart Woodsman THE WOODSMAN IS A COST FRIENDLY LONGBOW. With subsequent dives you know do a shifting of your dive search area. He avoids shooting in competitions because if people actually saw how good he wasn't, his facade of 'greatest archer alive' would be shattered. If he was really that good, he'd compete all the time to build up his reputation. He maintained that marines have made every effort for the past nine days in which the search pushed the envelope but was careful not to compromise safety. I can tell you Byron flew internationally. He knew he was losing altitude. He revealed that in the event that there is an emergency where a distressed aircraft needs to land at a Family Island airport, pilots are supposed to contact Air Traffic Control (ATC) in New Providence. I don't think I was ever that spellbound as a child. Facebook gives people the power. He knew he could not make it to LPIA. Minister of Tourism and Aviation, Dionisio D'Aguilar. At the time, RBDF Commodore Tellis Bethel said: No efforts were made to secure the aircraft because our priority right then and there was to look for persons who might have been alive in the water. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. What we had was an ongoing effort to ensure initially the emphasis on discovering life and that effort continued. To date, $25,000 has been raised. Pointing to the alleged lack of communication with family members, the inability to secure the plane on Thursday night or send divers to search it, and the lack of visibility of officials searching the area in the days following the crash, Fergusons other brother, Anvon, called the entire operation incompetent. On Friday (April 07) the television host's reps officially confirmed that Craig Ferguson is not dead. They say they left the site. With just a day away from reliving my worst nightmare, Im happy to know that my missing son, Captain Byron Quinn Ferguson, even in his most difficult time, had absolutely no doubt in his mind that his mom was someone he could always count on. It is unimaginable.. No copyright infringement is intendedAll rights go to Foxtel Because of that, we have requested a weather study from the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States and we will also be looking at the maintenance records of this aircraft and also the ATC related data in relation to this case, Mr Dorsett said. He added, his friend that was supposed to collect him from the airport texted him a message letting him know that he needs to track the plane. He then shoots a . When this matter was reported to the authorities on Thursday nightI was in communication with (Commodore Bethel) and the commissioner (of police), Mr Dames said. Byron is a pilot, so Im confident in his ability, and were just praying; we dont want to lose hope.. I do not want to belittle this situation, but I am sure that this problem arises so infrequently that there is a cost that we need to take into consideration. Bjorn Ferguson, another brother, said it was unbelievable that divers were not sent into the water when authorities reportedly still had sight on the aircraft Thursday night. Scan this QR code to download the app now. He knew he could not make it to LPIA. Byron Ferguson Obituary (2005) - Munster, IN - The Times - Legacy.com This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. In the days following the crash, there was widespread criticisms of the Defence Forces search and rescue efforts. Bjorn Ferguson added, We come from a community with a lot of boaters and divers so we rallied around our community. I think about 15 miles, again, he contacted again with engine problems. Civil Aviation is the body I believe thats responsible for the investigation. He is an excellent pilot and I am sure he is out there, said Fergusons wife, Anya Ferguson on Sunday. We had pilots from Florida who came. Yesterday, Major confirmed Ferguson was adequately trained to perform his duties and had many years of flying experience in Piper Aztec aircraft. Bjorn Ferguson, a brother of Ferguson, said while tennis was very instrumental in the life of his brother, a former player and certified coach, they are still keeping hope alive that he is. Still hoping and while still carrying on searches of their own, young Fergusons brother, Bjorn Ferguson said his brother who has at least 20-years of experience flying did file a flight plan, something the family and Air Accident Investigation Department have been able to confirm with Civil Aviation. Mr. Ferguson described his brother as an experienced pilot that flew internationally, and had clarity of mind when on the job. He obtained his pilots licence in 1999 and is currently working out of North Africa for a South-African headquartered company. NASSAU, BAHAMAS More than a year after missing pilot Byron Fergusons aircraft plunged into waters off western New Providence, investigators of the Air Accident and Investigation Department (AAID) are reviewing engine maintenance records to finalize their report on the incident, according to Chief Investigator Delvin Major. I cant make that call for them. He continued: And so if I feel that way about something like this, if my colleagues opposite here who sit beside me and if we feel as a body like that about a circumstance like that, how much worse does the family feel? Byron Ferguson is the son of retired veteran ZNS news anchor Agnes Ferguson. Legendary archer, BYRON FERGUSON, will be your personal instructor! Bjorn Ferguson said he also understands that his brother passed three airports on his way to New Providence. 30+ "Byron Ferguson" profiles | LinkedIn The nose baggage door is another matter, though. Best Longbow Trick Shots by Archery Master Byron Ferguson - YouTube 0:00 / 1:01:42 Best Longbow Trick Shots by Archery Master Byron Ferguson Gunpowder & Gasoline 199K subscribers 66K. Thats just insane that this day 2018 in The Bahamas a plane crashes and you have no divers available until the next morning at light when you had a clear indication of where the plane was. Volunteer groups have pulled their resources to assist in the search, rescue and recovery of Byrons aircraft and there is still hope of locating Byron, read the post on the online fundraising site. BYRON INDUCTED INTO THE "OUTDOOR LEGENDS HALL OF FAME" AUGUST 18TH, 2012, Nov. 29, 2001 - The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, 2008- Byron Stars in the History Channel's "Extreme Marksmen", 2009 - Byron Stars in the History Channel's "More Extreme Marksmen", 2010 - Byron Stars in German TV program by MAXIMUS FILM GmbH, July 2011 - Byron guest Stars on the " Stan Lee's Super Human" TV program. Someone must explain where the Flight Plan is for Pilot Byron Ferguson THE pilot of the ill-fated plane that crashed in the waters of Nirvana Beach on Thursday night was coming home to take his parents on a trip to South Africa in celebration of his father's birthday,. He was scheduled to return to work today in South Africa, said Fergusons brother, Bjorn, who spoke to the media yesterday at Nirvana Beach, where dozens of their relatives and friends gathered. Normally, they would not be lit at night, he said. The day after civilians discovered debris from missing pilot Byron Fergusons crashed plane, Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Tellis Bethel vehemently defended his organizations search and recovery efforts. We are in need of specialized equipment and certified deep-sea divers who are able to assist with recovery. He told his friend to track him; he was going to ditch this plane here. Interim report into missing pilot Byron Ferguson's crash revealed Opposition Senator Fred Mitchell added there was a need to beef up communication efforts between search agencies and families affected. He had good contacts and we reached out to them and they brought their private assets, and thats what we were doing.. I dont know anywhere else in the world where something like that would happen, he said, as his mother, gripped with emotion, buried her head in his chest. He said his family, within its own network of resources, would have been able to privately engage divers had it been informed. Byron appeared on American Shooter on TNN, ESPN, ESPN2 and OLN for ten years where his "SHOT OF THE WEEK" was the most watched portion of the show. How Old Is Byron Long? So, from the time you discovered it, you didnt mark it; you didnt track it; the only thing you can say is well, the current may have carried it?. These cookies do not store any personal information. In which case you would have seen on Tuesday our dive search area shifted to the east and on Tuesday the 13th our divers were now finding debris that came from that plane wreckage.. - J. Morgan Smith, Traditional Bowhunter, I have only observed the late Howard Hill accomplish feats similar to those of Byron. It boggles the mind if that is so. Our search continues, but certainly not at the pace that existed a few days ago, but we are continuing to maintain our vigilant lookout for that craft., When asked whether the search has been scaled back, Pinder said, Right; the only difference is that we did not conduct the dive operations today, but we still have two thirds of our assets, in terms of the modes of our search; in terms of the use of our mobile patrols along the shoreline that continues and of course the surface craft that continues to traverse the seas. And so immediately as that information came in, the authorities activated their machinery, almost immediately. According to Major, the aircraft was properly maintained and met regulatory requirements, but a further review of the maintenance records of the engine was still being explored. It was very dark out here last night, little to no lighting, a lot of things going on, a lot of moving parts, a lot of coordinates attempting to be made but our units got here within 10 to 15 minutes of the call. He said: The search never ceased. Family of missing pilot files for judicial review - Eye Witness News Major pointed to an incident involving a cargo aircraft that lost an engine and crashed in almost the exact areas as Ferguson on October 18 around 4:45 p.m. Fortunately in this event it happened during the day with two pilots on board and they were rescued in a timely manner, he added. Prior to this, the northwest quadrant of New Providence was searched, which included the coastline, shallow and ocean areas using RBDF patrol craft, drone and divers, and a US Coast Guard fixed wing aircraft.. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. You know, its been almost 24 hours, its highly unlikely that [at] this time youll find anyone if theyre in this plane alive because, obviously, the plane is submerged in water.. The Ferguson family at Nirvana Beach yesterday as the search for pilot Byron Ferguson continued. As the search continues for Mr Ferguson, the criticisms have not fallen on deaf ears. He flies in Africa, so I am confident in his ability, and we are just praying. Mr Dames said he was taken aback by the criticism, given his knowledge of how quickly officials mobilised in response to the crash. Now that does not seem to apply in this case. Byron Ferguson - Famous Archer Biographies - Archery Toronto Saved up for his first bow when he was 12. - Mike Bolton, The Birmingham News, Byron Ferguson is not only one of the South's top bowhunters, he is also one of the country's premier trick archers - capable of impaling a silver dollar-sized disc in flight with an aluminum arrow from his longbow. Larry Hagman. As a matter of fact it was just several weeks ago the defence force conducted an advanced dive programme for its members so we are always training staff, he said. Could Byron Ferguson (Arguably Greatest Archer Alive) Compete And Be Successful In The Olympics? Had we been able to recover the aircraft and been able to conduct an analysis, it is possible more safety issues could have been identified., Major said: Our report, once finalized, will be sent to The Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority and others concerned and we would expect them to look closely at all our findings.. They had the coordinates. Yesterday, Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Commissioner Tellis Bethel reiterated to The Tribune that the perimeter of the crash has extended. Were told that the plane may have relocated from its original position that it was in last night and so we continue to search. I was also in communication with the minister of tourism, who has responsibility for civil aviation. He said: A mutual friend of Byron yesterday, who is still in shock, indicated to me that the wife with a 10-month-old child is still walking up and down that beach, and the beaches, not eating and just asking people to help me look in the bushes, look over there, check that sand and all of our hearts break. He said, the information that we obtained indicated that my brother encountered difficulties about 40 miles off of the coast of New Providence with his door. I think it unreasonable to believe otherwise. As they gathered on Nirvana Beach yesterday, Fergusons family criticized authorities over the search and rescue efforts. - Pete Fosselman, Bow & Arrow Hunting Magazine, Byron is an individual who is a great archer, an exceptional showman, a very competent bowyer and an all around credit to our sport. As part of its investigation, the AAID also reviewed Federal Aviation Administration Blue Ribbon Package for the aircraft and airman; Air Traffic Control audio recordings and written transcripts from both Miami and Nassau control centers; Nassau Air Traffic Control facility logs; and official written statements and reports from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the report notes. STST - Byron-Ferguson-Productions Assistant Commissioner of Police [Leamond] Deleveuax, who is in charge of this investigation, never officially, up to this day, contacted the family, Ferguson claimed. The report noted the pilot, major parts and components of the aircraft a Piper Aztec PA-23-250 and an undetermined amount of cargo were never recovered as the aircraft was lost to the ocean. The Police Force and Defence Force with the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard conducted search and rescue efforts by air and sea on Thursday night and located the aircraft. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Sweden -- Summer 2001 - Swedish Game Fair, Austria - Spring 2010 - Byron Ferguson Exhibition in Graz, Germany - July 2011 - Byron Ferguson Exhibition in Eisenbach, Finland - June 2012 - Byron Ferguson Exhibition sets new record for attendance - 15,000 Saturday - 12,000 Sunday, Finland - June 2013 - Byron Ferguson Exhibition & Bare Bow Shooting Clinic - National TV, Brazil - July 2012 - Byron Ferguson Exhibition wins award for "Most Attended" event at the Brazil Sport Show - Sao Paulo, Neatherlands - August 2014 - Byron Ferguson Archery Exhibitions - Bare Bow Clinic - National TV, NASHVILLE TN. He also regretted that there is no legislation to govern crowdfunding in instances where money is needed to support rescue efforts. Currently the plane is in over 600 feet of water. While Fergusons family remains hopeful that he is still alive, authorities said it is unlikely that anyone survived the crash in waters about a mile north of Nirvana Beach. Missing pilot Byron Ferguson and the U.S. registered Piper Aztec aircraft went down in waters two nautical miles from the airfield at Lynden Pindling International Airport. BYRON FERGUSON OBITUARY Byron Lee Ferguson Valparaiso Byron Lee Ferguson, age 82, of Valparaiso, died Saturday, April 9, 2005. However, conflicting reports from his family suggest he was the only one aboard, as the person who was supposed to fly with him never got on the plane. Also available. "Crashed due to unknown circumstances. Also, bear in mind it was late into the evening. Regarding the familys criticisms that the plane was not marked or tracked before authorities left the scene, Mr Dames said he could not speak to that matter as the investigation is ongoing. Byron teaches the very basics to the most advanced archery instruction that as ever been offered. He radioed air traffic control. Ferguson was en route from West Palm Beach, Florida. I want you to appreciate the environment under which that search was being conducted. Ashton Ferguson, brother of pilot Byron Ferguson told reporters that that though the men have yet to be found, they remain hopeful; but are bracing themselves with the harsh reality that their loved one may be gone forever. If youre interested in shooting the bow and arrow without having to use sights, this is THE EVENT youve been waiting for. Sometime later he experienced engine problems. The six-seater Piper Aztec aircraft plunged into the sea two nautical miles from the airfield at Lynden Pindling International Airport. Byron Ferguson is widely recognized as one of the greatest traditional archers alive. You know that the tides that come in and out will usually take anything thats in its path out and so it may have been taken to a different area, he said. Unconfirmed reports have suggested that Ferguson passed three smaller airports while en route to Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) last week Friday; the Chub Cay airport, Great Harbour Cay airport and the San Andros airport. Byron Long Death Fact Check, Birthday & Age | Dead or Kicking So, our hearts go out to the family. I would watch in other countries and incidents would happen, persons are able to donate in the millions to the search and rescue of persons rather than just sit and wait for the governments response.. I know this young man very well, his wife, his family, his brothers, his father, his mother and they all live in the Fox Hill constituency, but quite apart from that, I want to join in the concerns about how this accident was dealt with, Mr Mitchell said. I am amazed not only by his skill with the bow and arrow, but by his approach to life. When you are not involved in becoming an expert archer, you will want to take advantage of Goodman Ranch's other outdoor experiences. NASSAU, BAHAMAS Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Commander Shone Pinder said yesterday that while search and recovery efforts are ongoing for a six-seater aircraft that crashed in waters off New Providence on November 8, those efforts were not being conducted at the same pace that existed a few days ago. After watching Byron Shoot Mr Lee declared Byron's abilities SUPER HUMAN and he is the real Hawk Eye. I want to interject that the Commodore of the Defence Force met with the family this morning prior to this [press conference], after we had made contact and agitated with a member of Parliament that we know. Byron Ferguson, byronferguson@msn.com 256-773-2467. Happy Birthday Byron Ferguson! - YouTube Could Byron Ferguson (Arguably Greatest Archer Alive) Compete And Be Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Flooding at LPIA caused by failure in fire suppression line, COP sounds off on the granting of bail for repeat offenders, Bahamian producers take center stage on major project, Central Bank acknowledges less than satisfactory bank account opening time, touts improvements. and our There were no visible persons at the time based on what I have been informed of, Pinder said. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Ferguson . Junior Tennis Nationals being held in memory of Byron Ferguson I've watched him hold bowhunters in fascination with his easy Alabama manner while he made his longbow talk and his arrows sing. Every family, I included, if I were faced with that situation, would want to ensure that the authorities are doing all that is humanely possible to return their loved one or loved ones home, Mr Dames said.