Wreckage of the missing US-bound plane that suddenly disappeared has been located off the coast of Massachusetts, as a desperate search continues for the six passengers on board.
A medical transport aircraft owned by Latitude Air Ambulance lost contact overnight on Saturday.
The Federal Aviation Administration notified the Coast Guard of the lost connection at 2am local time and a search for the Gulfstream G100 aircraft was launched.
The plane was scheduled to land in Boston and had been traveling from Bermuda. Six people were on board, including two Canadian pilots, two Canadian medical workers, a patient from Bermuda and their 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 on 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.’
The Coast Guard has searched 1,644 square miles over the last 27 hours, and the mission remains ongoing.
The search has required a multi-agency response, including a Jayhawk helicopter crew, motor lifeboat crews and aircraft from the New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing.
The US Coast Guard was seen searching for a missing plane with six passengers off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Debris from the aircraft was found on Saturday night
FlightAware data showed the aircraft plummeted to around 11,000 feet from roughly 25,000 shortly after 1am. The final ping came around 1.30am
The Coast Guard has searched 1,644 square miles over the last 27 hour for the missing plane. Wreckage was found on Saturday night off Nantucket, pictured above (stock image)
The flight departed at 7.10pm EST from John C Munro Hamilton International Airport in Ontario and landed at Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport just before 9.30pm.
The plane took off once again en route to Logan International Airport at 11.41pm. It was only in the air for about an hour before it plummeted from roughly 25,000 feet to around 11,000 feet shortly after 1am, according to FlightAware data.
The final ping came around 1.30am, shortly before the plane was scheduled to land in Boston.
The last audio recording of correspondence with air traffic control captured the haunting moments before the emergency.
‘You said you’re coming in blind?’ a New York controller can be heard asking the Latitude Air Ambulance flight.
‘Okay, you declare an emergency or not?’ he asked, before telling the pilots that the reception was ‘a little weak.’
Then, the confused controller told the pilots he ‘didn’t hear what your response was if you were declaring an emergency or not.’
Seconds later, the controller repeatedly asked if the air ambulance was there, but got no response.
He asked another person whether their radar saw the plane, and a different man said the radar cut off at 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.
