Search Underway for Missing Air Ambulance Off Nantucket: 6 Onboard
Search Underway for Missing Air Ambulance Off Nantucket: 6 Onboard
US Coast Guard searches for a missing air ambulance with six people onboard near Nantucket. Debris found as rescue efforts continue for the flight from Bermuda to Boston. Get the latest updates here.
The US Coast Guard is intensifying its search efforts off the coast of Massachusetts' Nantucket Island after an air ambulance carrying six people went missing on Saturday. Debris believed to be from the aircraft has been located, as crews race against time to find the individuals onboard.
The Canadian-registered Gulfstream G-100 jet was on a critical medical evacuation flight, transporting patients from Bermuda to Boston when it lost contact with air traffic controllers. There were four crew members and two passengers onboard the flight, which departed Bermuda’s LF Wade international airport in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a search-and-rescue alert for the plane around 1:20 AM local time on Saturday. Flight tracking data from FlightAware shows the aircraft flying at 24,000 feet for much of its journey before experiencing a rapid descent of 13,000 feet in approximately two minutes, shortly before communications ceased.
An audio clip from Boston Logan International Airport reveals an air traffic controller questioning the pilot about coming in "blind" and declaring an emergency, with no response heard.
Among the six individuals on the plane, four are Canadian nationals, as confirmed by Canadian Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon.
He stated that authorities are closely monitoring the situation and collaborating on search and rescue operations. The other two passengers are Bermudian nationals, and the Bermuda government is in contact with US authorities and the families involved.
Bermuda Premier David Burt expressed his government's concern and ongoing communication.
The missing aircraft is registered to Latitude Air Ambulance, an Ontario, Canada-based company specializing in medical evacuation services. Clarence Togeretz, director of flight operations at Latitude, expressed concern but also a hopeful outlook, stating,
We always get rather concerned when our crew doesn't report to us in a timely manner... optimistically and positively, that doesn’t mean that the worst has happened.
The Massachusetts Port Authority, which manages Boston Logan International Airport, confirmed the aircraft did not arrive as scheduled. Their spokesperson conveyed thoughts for those onboard and their loved ones as the search continues into the night near Nantucket, an island community south of mainland Massachusetts. The FAA is working closely with the Rescue Coordination Center and the US Coast Guard to locate the aircraft and its occupants.
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