Coast Guard searches off Nantucket for missing air ambulance

The US Coast Guard said it had found debris from a medical transport jet off Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, and was searching for the six people who were on board. The Canadian-registered air ambulance lost contact with the Federal Aviation Administration during a flight from Bermuda to Boston on Saturday morning.

What do we know about the aircraft?

The FAA issued a search-and-rescue alert notice for a Gulfstream G-100 at about 1.20am local time on Saturday. The jet was registered to Latitude Air Ambulance, a company based in Ontario, Canada, that provides medical evacuation services. Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed the aircraft departing Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport at 12.41am on Saturday.

Who was on board?

The plane carried four crew members and two passengers when it left Bermuda, according to a statement from Skyport, the operator of the airport. Canadian transport minister Steven MacKinnon said four Canadians were on the aircraft. The coast guard said the two passengers were Bermudian nationals.

What happened before contact was lost?

Flight data showed the jet flying at 24,000 feet for much of the journey before descending 13,000 feet in about two minutes shortly before controllers lost contact. Boston 25, a television station, posted an audio clip from Boston Logan International Airport in which an air traffic controller asked the Gulfstream pilot: “You said you’re coming in blind? Is that what you said?” The controller then asked whether the plane was declaring an emergency. No response was heard.

What have officials said?

Clarence Togeretz, director of flight operations at Latitude, told NBC News the aircraft was carrying out a medical evacuation in Bermuda. “We always get rather concerned when our crew doesn’t report to us in a timely manner,” he said. “But I will say that again, optimistically and positively, that doesn’t mean that the worst has happened.”

Bermuda premier David Burt said his government was in contact with US authorities and the families of the passengers. The Massachusetts Port Authority, which runs Boston Logan International Airport, said the aircraft did not arrive as scheduled. The FAA said it was coordinating with the Rescue Coordination Center and the US Coast Guard to locate the aircraft.

Where is the search taking place?

Searches were to continue through the night near Nantucket, an island community south of mainland Massachusetts. Across the Caribbean, the UN has reported that more than 5,700 people have been killed or injured in gang violence in Haiti.

Frequently asked questions

What happened to the air ambulance off the coast of Massachusetts?

The US Coast Guard found debris from a Canadian-registered Gulfstream G-100 off Nantucket Island and is searching for the six people who were on board. The aircraft lost contact with air traffic controllers during a flight from Bermuda to Boston on Saturday morning.

How many people were on board the missing jet?

Six people: four crew members and two passengers, according to Skyport, the operator of Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport. Canadian transport minister Steven MacKinnon said four Canadians were on the plane, and the coast guard said the two passengers were Bermudian nationals.

Who operated the aircraft?

The jet was registered to Latitude Air Ambulance, a company based in Ontario, Canada, that provides medical evacuation services. Clarence Togeretz, its director of flight operations, told NBC News the plane was carrying out a medical evacuation in Bermuda.

Where was the plane flying from and to?

The aircraft departed Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport at 12.41am on Saturday bound for Boston. Flight data showed it at 24,000 feet for much of the journey before descending 13,000 feet in about two minutes shortly before contact was lost.

With reporting from The Guardian.

Stock image, not from the events described. Nature Water — Jeremy Bishop / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)