Six people traveling on a medical transport aircraft that disappeared off the coast of Massachusetts on Saturday are presumed dead. Latitude Air Ambulance, the flight's operator, announced the status of the passengers and crew on Sunday evening following the suspension of search efforts by the United States Coast Guard.
The Gulfstream G-100 aircraft, operating as Heartbeat 104, was transporting a patient from Bermuda to Boston when it lost contact with flight controllers. The flight departed L.F. Wade International Airport at 11:40 p.m. local time on Friday and was scheduled to arrive at Boston Logan International Airport at 1:30 a.m. EDT on Saturday.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported losing contact with the plane shortly after 1:00 a.m. Saturday. Data from FlightAware indicates the aircraft dropped from an altitude of approximately 24,000 feet to 11,000 feet before communications ceased. According to radio transmissions reported by the Boston Globe, the pilot declared an emergency, and an area fire dispatcher noted the plane was experiencing an "electrical issue" before losing radio and radar signals.
Onboard the aircraft were four Canadian nationals, comprising two pilots and two medical staff, and two Bermudian nationals, consisting of the patient and a family escort. Authorities confirmed the discovery of a debris field belonging to the aircraft on Saturday evening. The search for survivors off the coast of Nantucket was officially suspended by the U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday evening.
The reported electrical issues and sudden altitude drop will likely be central to investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration and other relevant authorities.
Latitude Air Ambulance stated it is currently focused on supporting the affected families and assisting investigators. The company stated it will not speculate on the circumstances of the accident until the official process is complete.