Wreckage from a plane that vanished while flying toward the United States has been found off the Massachusetts coast, as rescuers launch an urgent search for the six people aboard.
The debris field was located several hours after the medical transport aircraft operated by Latitude Air Ambulance lost contact on Saturday.
The Gulfstream G100 was flying from Bermuda to Boston when it disappeared at about 2am.
Those on board included two Canadian pilots, two Canadian medical workers, a patient from Bermuda and the patient’s relative.
‘Coast Guard search crews located a debris field that has been confirmed to be associated with the missing aircraft,’ the Coast Guard said in an update issued Saturday night.
‘Crews are continuing to search for the six people who were aboard the aircraft and the Coast Guard cutter William Sparling will continue search efforts throughout the night.’
Over the previous 27 hours, the Coast Guard had searched 1,644 square miles, with the recovery mission still underway.
The operation has involved multiple agencies, including a Jayhawk helicopter crew, motor lifeboat teams and aircraft from the New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing.
The US Coast Guard was seen searching for a missing plane carrying six people off Nantucket, Massachusetts. Debris from the aircraft was discovered Saturday night
FlightAware data showed the aircraft descending from roughly 25,000 feet to about 11,000 feet shortly after 1am. Its final signal was recorded at around 1.30am
The Coast Guard searched 1,644 square miles over 27 hours for the missing aircraft. Wreckage was found off Nantucket on Saturday night, pictured above (stock image)
The aircraft left John C Munro Hamilton International Airport in Ontario at 7.10pm EST and arrived at Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport shortly before 9.30pm.
It departed again at 11.41pm, bound for Logan International Airport in Boston. After roughly an hour in the air, the plane dropped from about 25,000 feet to approximately 11,000 feet shortly after 1am, according to FlightAware data.
The aircraft’s last signal was received at around 1.30am, not long before it was due to land in Boston.
The final audio recording between the flight crew and air traffic control captured the tense exchanges in the moments before contact was lost.
‘You said you’re coming in blind?’ a New York controller can be heard asking the Latitude Air Ambulance flight.
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‘Okay, can you declare an emergency or not?’ he asked, adding that the reception was ‘a little weak.’
The controller then said he ‘didn’t hear what your response was if you were declaring an emergency or not.’
Seconds later, he repeatedly asked whether the air ambulance was still there, but received no reply.
He then asked another person whether the aircraft appeared on radar. A different man responded that radar coverage ended for anything below 9,500 feet.
The aircraft was identified as a Gulfstream G100 operated by Latitude Air Ambulance (file photo of a Gulfstream G100)
Latitude’s Director of Flight Operations Clarence Togeretz told NBC News: ‘We always get rather concerned when our crew doesn’t report to us in a timely manner.
‘But I will say that again, optimistically and positively, that doesn’t mean that the worst has happened.’
Mary Schiavo, a former Inspector General of the Transportation Department, told the Associated Press that the plane’s sharp descent could mean it lost navigational instruments as a storm passed.
‘Something bad happened with this big drop, and they flew into this big storm. It’s a terrible place to have a loss of your instruments and be flying blind,’ Schiavo said.
‘It’s very easy to get disoriented and not know if you’re turning, climbing, descending, etc. Spatial orientation hits pretty quickly.’
The Bermuda Government confirmed that the aircraft was reported missing after losing contact with air traffic control.
The government added that officials were in contact with the families of those on board and remain in contact with US officials on the search.
‘My thoughts are with everyone on board and their families during this deeply worrying time. We are praying that all six people will be found safe, and we thank the search and rescue crews for their continuing efforts,’ Bermuda Premier David Burt said.
Canadian Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon confirmed in a statement on X that four of the people on board are Canadians.
‘We are closely monitoring the situation and are working with the relevant authorities as search and rescue efforts continue. I want to thank all first responders involved for their ongoing efforts,’ MacKinnon added.
The Coast Guard has scheduled a press conference at 11am EST to provide an update.