Six people are presumed dead after the US Coast Guard on Sunday suspended its search for survivors of a medical transport plane crash off the coast of Massachusetts early the previous day.
The aircraft, which was flying from Bermuda to Boston, lost contact with ground authorities at about ۲am on Saturday, and the Coast Guard located a debris field near the island of Nantucket later that day.
“Suspending a search is not an easy decision,” Coast Guard Rear Adm Matthew Lake, commander of the agency’s northeast district, said in a statement. “We express our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones affected by the tragedy and our gratitude for our partner agencies who helped support search efforts.”
The aircraft – a Gulfstream G۱۰۰ operated by Canadian company Latitude Air Ambulance – took off from Bermuda at ۱۲.۴۱am on Saturday, carrying a patient, a family member and a four-person crew. The patient and family member were identified as citizens of Bermuda. The crew was identified as Canadian citizens.
In its own statement, Latitude acknowledged the Coast Guard’s decision to suspend the search for those who were aboard what the company described as Heartbeat ۱۰۴.
“Given the information shared by authorities and the conclusion of the search and rescue phase, we must now face the heartbreaking reality that the four members of our Latitude team, our patient and the patient’s family escort, who were aboard Heartbeat ۱۰۴, are presumed to have died,” the company’s statement said.
Air traffic controllers had difficulty communicating with the flight in its final moments.
“You’re coming in blind? Is that what you said?” a controller asked the pilot at about ۱۲.۴۶am. “Are you declaring an emergency, or no?”
According to a recording captured by LiveATC.net, the pilot’s response was not audible.
The plane reported electrical failures as it neared Nantucket, according to radio transmissions. Data from the website FlightAware shows the plane descended thousands of feet within three minutes and disappeared from radar shortly after about ۱am local time.
Latitude said it will “cooperate fully” with US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and other authorities on recovery efforts and an investigation into why the plane crashed.
