'Inaction Is Shameful': Son Of Waukesha Woman Missing In Panama

WAUKESHA, WI — Another United States Congressmember has gotten involved in the search for two missing retired public-school teachers, one from Waukesha, continues in Panama amid pleas for help from the United States government.

Officials in Panama are now enlisting the help of local shrimper boats to drag nets, according to Jake Velleman, son of Deb Velleman, one of the missing women.

Four people and a pilot were on a private plane that crashed off the coast of Panama on Jan. 3, including Deb and Anthony Velleman, of Waukesha, and Sue Borries, 57, of Teutopolis, Illinois.

Anthony Velleman,70, was one of three people rescued after the crash. His wife and Borries are still missing.

Rep. Bryan Steil now joins Gov. Tony Evers, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Rep. Scott Fitzgerald and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin who have all opened inquiries with the Defense Department and State Department. Steil sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"I request that the State Department immediately send federal resources and personnel in bringing Debra Velleman home. Our U.S citizens overseas, as well as their families, should not be neglected by our own government during times of crisis. Secretary Blinken, the Velleman family deserves better. I request your immediate review and consideration of this time-sensitive request in aiding with search and rescue operations in locating and recovering our fellow American citizens," Steil said.

Albert Lewitinn, a Velleman family spokesperson, said when Malaysia Airlines MH370 disappeared over the South China Sea in 2014, "the United States Navy was dispatched in full force."

He added with regards to the Panama crash, "the United States government hasn’t lifted a finger."

Jake Velleman has resorted to going out into the ocean himself with local fishermen to search for his mother’s remains, Lewitinn said.

"It appears the US Government has not acted and is not coming to assist. Their inaction is shameful. All I am asking for is help to locate the plane wreckage. We’ll handle everything else after. I want to give my mother a dignified burial and begin the grieving process," Jake Velleman said.

"The U.S. Coast Guard is saddened by the tragic accident off the coast of Panama," Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Kroll, chief of media relations, previously told Patch in a statement. "Our Search and Rescue experts assisted Panama by completing a surface drift analysis and providing probable search areas to help find the location of the passengers and submerged aircraft. U.S. Coast Guard cutters operating in the region do not have the capability to conduct underwater searches."