On October 3, a medical transfer aircraft with six people on board went missing while flying from Bermuda to Boston, according to the US Coast Guard.
The Federal Aviation Administration alerted the Coast Guard early Saturday that it had lost contact with the Gulfstream jet, a representative from the Coast Guard said via email.
Canadian Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon mentioned on X that four Canadians were aboard the plane.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and working with the relevant authorities as search and rescue efforts continue,” he stated.
The aircraft, owned by Latitude Air Ambulance, took off from Bermuda at 12:41 a.m. local time. Flight tracking data from FlightAware indicated that the plane was cruising at 24,000 feet but quickly descended by 13,000 feet in about two minutes just before it lost contact with flight controllers.
Local TV station Boston 25 aired an audio clip from Boston Logan International Airport, where an air traffic controller was heard asking the Gulfstream pilot, “You said you’re coming in blind? Is that what you said?”
The controller inquired whether the plane was declaring an emergency, but there was no reply.
Latitude Air Ambulance is based in Ontario, Canada, and specializes in medical evacuation services. The company did not respond to requests for comment immediately.
The Coast Guard has sent air and surface crews to search for the plane near Nantucket, an island community south of Massachusetts.
Bermuda's Premier David Burt stated on Instagram that the government is in contact with US authorities and the families of those on board. He added, “We are praying that all six people will be found safe.”
As of Saturday afternoon, weather conditions in Nantucket were reported to be clear, according to AccuWeather.