Air Ambulance Carrying Six Disappears Off Nantucket; Debris From Missing Medical Plane Found

Nantucket, Massachusetts: A medical evacuation aircraft carrying six people has disappeared from radar off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, prompting the US Coast Guard to launch an air and sea search operation.

The aircraft was travelling from Bermuda to Boston Logan International Airport when contact with the Federal Aviation Administration was lost early Saturday, according to the Coast Guard.

Gulfstream Air Ambulance Was Flying From Bermuda To Boston

The aircraft appears to be a Gulfstream G100 operated by Latitude Air Ambulance, a medical aviation company based in Hamilton, Ontario.

Flight-tracking data identified the aircraft as C-GRJP, operating the Bermuda-Boston route under the callsign HTT104. Clarence Togeretz, Latitude Air Ambulance’s Director of Flight Operations, said the aircraft had been carrying out a medical evacuation in Bermuda.

The identities and condition of the six people aboard have not yet been released.

Emergency Call Reported Before Contact Was Lost

Open-source radio communications reportedly captured “HEART BEAT 104”, the aircraft’s callsign, declaring an emergency with New York Center air traffic control shortly after 12:30 am Eastern Time.

The aircraft subsequently disappeared from radar, prompting the search operation.

Aircraft Made Sharp Descent Before Disappearing

Available flight-tracking data shows that the aircraft underwent a rapid change in altitude shortly before contact was lost.

The Gulfstream descended by more than 9,000 feet in around two minutes, according to the tracking information. The final data point was received roughly two minutes later, with the aircraft last reported near the area where search crews are now operating.

The tracking data can help establish a potential last-known position but does not confirm what happened to the aircraft.

Coast Guard Searching South Of Nantucket

The US Coast Guard has deployed air and surface crews to search the waters south of Nantucket for the missing aircraft and the six people aboard.

The Coast Guard has not yet confirmed that the aircraft crashed, nor has it released details about those on board or confirmed whether the flight was carrying a patient along with medical personnel.

Cause Remains Unknown

For now, search teams are focused on locating the aircraft and determining what happened after it lost contact with air traffic control.

There is currently no official confirmation of the cause. Mechanical failure, a medical emergency, weather or other factors remain possible until authorities locate the aircraft and begin their investigation.

Debris From Missing Medical Plane Found

The United States Coast Guard has found debris from the missing air ambulance off the shore of Massachusetts’ Nantucket Island.

The US Federal Aviation Administration told the Coast Guard early on Saturday that it had lost contact with a Gulfstream jet travelling from Bermuda to Boston.

Several hours later, the Coast Guard said in a statement that it had “located a debris field that has been confirmed to be associated with the missing aircraft”.

The Coast Guard said one of its cutters would continue searching the water overnight and into Sunday for the six people who were on board.

Six People Were On Board

The Canadian-registered air ambulance jet had four crew members and two passengers on board when it departed Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport overnight for the flight to Massachusetts, according to a statement from the Bermuda airport’s operator, Skyport.

Canada’s Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon said in a social media post that four Canadians were on the plane.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and are working with the relevant authorities as search and rescue efforts continue,” MacKinnon wrote.

The other two people on board were Bermudian nationals, the Coast Guard said.

The aircraft, registered to Latitude Air Ambulance, departed Bermuda at 12:41 am local time (03:41 GMT), according to data from flight tracking website FlightAware.

The plane was flying at 24,000 feet (7,300 metres) for much of the flight before descending 13,000ft (3,960 metres) in about two minutes shortly before flight controllers lost contact, data showed.

Last Communication

Air traffic control audio posted by LiveATC.net offered a glimpse of the flight’s final communications before it went missing.

“Roger, you said you’re coming in blind. Is that what you said?” a controller can be heard asking the pilot.

The pilot’s transmission could not be heard in the recording. The controller later confirmed the pilot was declaring an emergency just before losing contact with the plane.

The Bermuda government is in contact with US authorities and families of the passengers, Bermuda Premier David Burt wrote in a statement posted on Instagram.

“We are praying that all six people will be found safe,” he wrote.

Latitude Air Ambulance is based in Ontario, Canada, and provides medical evacuation services.