By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

WAILS pierced the air as the plane carrying the bodies of Blair John and Alrae Ramsey touched the tarmac at the Lynden Pindling International Airport yesterday.

The young men’s families had gathered to receive their sons, who had finally made the journey home after tragically meeting their deaths in Turin, Italy, earlier this month.

It was a heartbreaking scene as the two coffins were escorted to the hearses, with relatives sobbing over the caskets.

Both were young men of fine repute - Ramsey, 29, was a foreign service officer on study leave in Vienna, and John, a St Mary’s University graduate student, was there to attend a psychology conference.

Yesterday, their loved ones wept for their “babies” — their beloved sons, brothers, nephews and cousins.

Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield described the bodies’ arrival in Nassau as part of the “healing process” for both the families and the nation.

He noted both families have requested independent autopsies and have hired a pathologist.

Mr Henfield made these remarks during a short press conference at the airport’s VIP Lounge, as the families waited in an adjoining room for the plane carrying Ramsey and John to arrive.

“We’ve been dealing with this ordeal of the loss of these two Bahamian young men in Turin, Italy since…the beginning of the month,” Mr Henfield said. “And today marks, in my mind, the first phase of this event with their repatriation to the Bahamas. They’re being accompanied by Sharon Brennen-Haylock, who is the director general in (the Ministry of) Foreign Affairs.

“The families are all gathered here. We have been personally involved with the families since day one and we’re happy to have them here today, at the VIP Lounge (and) Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that they can witness the removal of the bodies and be a part of what I think is part of the healing process for families and for the country.”

Although he underscored the importance of the media’s presence, Mr Henfield continued: “Our priority has been, and always will be, how we treat the families in the face of this very tragic and very sad incident that has attracted the attention of the entire country and even some parts of the international community.”

“The (families do) not wish to speak with the press today. They just want to be here, receive their sons, and to grieve. And we continue to ask the Bahamian people to cover them in their prayers, that God may give them strength to walk through this dark hour.”

Mr Henfield added the independent autopsies were set to be completed between yesterday and today – before the funerals, both of which will be held tomorrow, June 29.

Ramsey’s will be held at St Agnes Anglican Church at 10am.

John’s will be held at Evangelistic Temple at 1pm.

The bodies of Ramsey and John were found in the Po River in Turin, Italy, on June 4 and 5 respectively. Results of the autopsies conducted in Italy earlier this month state drowning as the cause of death.

John’s father, Randolph John, 56, does not believe the men died by drowning, and added that if the men indeed drowned, it meant that they were “incapacitated” before being tossed in the river.

Mr John said last week Tuesday: “If I was born three times again I wouldn’t accept that (the autopsy results). If it was in fact a drowning then it means that they were incapacitated prior to being thrown in the river. That’s what it would mean.”

Shortly after the men’s bodies were found, John’s mother Cathleen Rahming told The Tribune he was a strong swimmer and fit. Former classmates Ramsey and John were staying at a bed and breakfast establishment at Via la Loggia 2 in Turin.

Italian officials have reportedly ruled the deaths accidental, according to Italian media.