NETEC Offers Support and Condolences to Phoenix Air Partners After Three Employees Die in Jet Crash

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NETEC offers its condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the three Phoenix Air employees who died in a jet crash off the coast of California. 

Eric Tatman, Spencer Geerlings, and Shane Garner were participating in a U.S. Navy training exercise on Wednesday, May 10, when the plane went down into the water off San Clemente Island in Southern California.

In addition to supporting the U.S. military, Phoenix holds a contract with the U.S. government as the only U.S. air ambulance with global capability for transporting and managing patients infected with high consequence diseases. During the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, Phoenix Air flew the first patients confirmed to be infected with Ebola Virus Disease to be repatriated to the U.S. from West Africa to Emory University Hospital and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Since then, Phoenix Air has further developed its capacity to transport critically ill patients infected with special pathogens and regularly partners with the Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Centers (RESPTCs) to perform training exercises.

“NETEC recognizes the important role the medical transport teams serving with Phoenix Air play in the care of critically ill patients,” says Dr. John Lowe, Co-Principal Investigator for NETEC and Executive Director of the Global Center for Health Security at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “Phoenix Air Group and their operational partners represent a small collective with an immense global impact. NETEC wishes to extend support and condolences to our partners at Phoenix Air at the loss of their colleagues.”

NETEC will provide an update on this page once the memorial services have been scheduled.