TANJUNG ARU: The late Marc Joel Bansh, the 23-year-old co-pilot of the ill-fated MASwings Twin Otter aircraft that crashed in Kudat last Thursday, was interred at the Mile 4, Catholic Cemetery in Penampang, yesterday.
More than 1,000 people attended the funeral mass at the Stella Maris Church, commemorated by Rev. Father Tony Mojiwat and assisted by Father Francis Tsen and Father Fundes Motiung.
The church, which has a capacity of 800 people, was filled to the brim with some standing by the roadside.
Marc’s father, Harel Bansh Singh, his mother, Eva Eleanor Ooi, and his three brothers, Joshua Bryan Bansh, Keith Jeremy Bansh and Seth Brandon Bansh paid their silent last farewell to their beloved son and sibling along with his colleagues from MASwings, most of whom were clad in their uniforms.
Some of the people who were close to the late co-pilot told The Borneo Post he was a very friendly person who was kind to everyone.
“He was very kind and respectful to everyone, irrespective of their age,” said a mother of one of his friends from his former flying school.
She said that she flew all the way from Shah Alam together with her son to especially attend the funeral service.
“Marc was a very special and dear person to us. What I can say about Marc is that he doesn’t have any ‘airs’ about him. He was kind to just about everyone,” she said.
“My mother wanted to come too because of the kind way he treated her when she called me while we were still in training together,” another close friend said.
“The last time my son spoke to Marc was a few days ago. He gave words of encouragement to my son who had just begun pilot training again,” a mother of another friend related.
“My mother had wanted to come for the funeral too, but she is just too far away. We all cried when we heard the news. He is such a sweet boy,” a close lady friend said, when describing Marc.
Marc’s mom, Eva, held on her composure bravely but broke down on several occasions during the service, but her youngest son next to her dutifully consoled her.
When met by this reporter a few days earlier following the dreadful crash, Eva’s words were: “He was so broken up in so many places that even if he had lived, life would have been unbearable for him. He loves life too much…God loves him more.”
Rest in peace, Marc.