Denis Walker
Jay And Katrina Erickson
Missionary / Pilot
Chitokoloki Mission Hospital, Zambia
It is with profound sadness, shock, a tremendous sense of loss and with very heavy hearts, that we are informing you that we have lost two of our dear missionary colleagues. Lost to us and their families but with the Lord. Jay and Katrina went to be with the Lord this afternoon at about 4:30 p.m., after the plane that Jay was flying, crashed into the Zambezi River, right at Zambezi town which is approximately half way between Chitokoloki and Chavuma.
Jay had flown three passengers earlier in the day, from Lusaka to Chitokoloki, arriving at 12:15 p.m. We had another flight booked later in the day to take one nurse from Chitokoloki to Chavuma and they left Chitokoloki at 3:00 p.m. Jay's wife, Katrina, went with him for the first time off the station since they arrived some months ago and she was so excited to be off the station for a short period. We kept their two girls here, Marina and Coral. The plane landed at Chavuma thirty minutes after take off. At about 4:00 p.m. they left Chavuma to return to Chitokoloki and at 4:30 they did a low pass over the Zambezi River at Zambezi Town. At that point are some high hydro cables crossing the river. The plane hit the cables and tumbled into the river. I was soon notified and rushed to Zambezi, which took almost forty-five minutes and by this time hundreds were on the banks but the plane was completely submerged. Frantic efforts were made to secure a boat with an engine but all efforts failed and just after 6:30 p.m. we gave up as darkness had descended.
I feel absolutely distraught and completely overwhelmed with sadness, agony and grief, over this and so helpless that I could not do something more. I have driven back to Chitokoloki and found the Christians all gathered at the church building with fires lit, singing quietly and expressing their sympathy in the traditional way.
The girls are asleep in their own beds and two girls are with them tonight. Tomorrow, at daybreak, I will head back to Zambezi and, with the Lord's help, we will attempt to recover the bodies and pull the plane to the bank. I have been in touch with Jay's father and had the excruciating task of informing him of the incident.
Your prayers will be very much appreciated as I feel an enormous burden and loss of two dear friends and overwhelmed by many decisions and matters that will need to be dealt with in the next few days.
Submitted by: Dennis Walker Fifth Avenue Gospel Hall, Portage la Prairie MB
My daughter, Tanis Walker, at Chitokoloki Mission, tells me Jay & Katrina Erickson, from an assembly in Spokane, WA, were a young committed couple in their twenties with two daughters, sixteen months and three years. Let us intercede earnestly for our brother Gordon, the children and families, and all our missionaries grieving in Zambia at this time.
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