Six presumed dead after medical plane vanishes off Nantucket

The Big Picture

Six people are presumed dead after a medical transport plane disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean during a flight from Bermuda to Boston, authorities and the aircraft's operator said.

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for survivors on Sunday, Oct. 4, after finding a debris field near Nantucket, Massachusetts, that it confirmed came from the aircraft. Latitude Air Ambulance, the Canadian company operating the flight, said the conclusion of the search-and-rescue phase meant it had to face the "heartbreaking reality" that all six people aboard were presumed to have died.

The Gulfstream G100, identified by Latitude as Heartbeat 104, was carrying two pilots, two medical staff, a patient and the patient's family escort. The four crew members were Canadian citizens and the two passengers were Bermudian citizens, according to authorities.

What Happened

The aircraft departed Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport for Boston Logan International Airport on a medical evacuation mission. Reports differ on the exact departure time. FlightAware data cited by the BBC placed the departure at 11:40 p.m. local time Friday, while Al Jazeera and The Guardian reported a 12:41 a.m. departure Saturday.

The Federal Aviation Administration lost contact with the aircraft early Saturday and issued a search-and-rescue alert. Published accounts differ on the timing of that alert, ranging from shortly after 1 a.m. to about 2 a.m. local time.

Flight-tracking data showed the plane made a steep descent before communications and tracking were lost. The BBC reported that it fell from about 24,000 feet to about 11,000 feet. Other reports described a drop of roughly 9,000 to 13,000 feet over about two to three minutes.

Air-traffic-control recordings reviewed by multiple news organizations indicated the pilot declared an emergency shortly before contact was lost. A controller asked, "You're coming in blind? Is that what you said?" The pilot's response could not be heard in the recording.

Radio transmissions also indicated the plane had electrical problems and had lost radio and radar communications. Authorities have not determined what caused the aircraft to come down.

Search Ends After Debris Discovery

The Coast Guard launched air and water searches south of or near Nantucket after the FAA reported the lost contact. On Saturday evening, the agency said search crews had located a debris field confirmed to be from the air ambulance.

Rear Adm. Matthew Lake, commander of the Coast Guard's Northeast District, said, "Suspending a search is not an easy decision." Al Jazeera reported that the Coast Guard searched for about 66 hours, covering 4,445 miles by air and sea, before ending the operation. Lake said water near the debris field was about 80 to 90 feet deep.

Latitude said its focus had shifted to supporting the families, its staff and the authorities. The company said it would continue to cooperate with U.S. and Canadian officials during recovery work and the investigation.

What Happens Next

The National Transportation Safety Board was gathering information after the disappearance. Latitude has said it will cooperate with the NTSB, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and other authorities.

Investigators have not announced a cause, and Latitude said it would not speculate. Determining the circumstances of an aviation accident is a methodical process, the company said.