On Saturday morning, a Canadian air ambulance disappeared while traveling from Bermuda to Boston, carrying six people. The Gulfstream G100 broke off communication with air traffic control, and the Coast Guard has launched a search of the water south of Nantucket, Mass.
According to flight data, the aircraft descended by at least 9,000 feet across a span of two minutes, held its altitude for several additional minutes, and then vanished altogether. The pilot reported an emergency to Nantucket Memorial Airport.
The Emergency Call
During an exchange with air traffic control, the controller asked the pilot of the air ambulance, “You’re coming in blind?”
The dispatcher’s warning to emergency crews came before the plane landed, telling them to get ready for its arrival. She reported that it was still 15 minutes away, struggling with electrical problems and having lost both radio and radar, per audio posted on Broadcastify and reviewed by The Boston Globe.
A dispatch channel streamed by Broadcastify carries a warning from a dispatcher telling responders to be ready for the aircraft within 15 minutes. The dispatcher points to electrical issues and notes the loss of both radio and radar.
The Search Operation
Two search and rescue planes, a helicopter, and a motor lifeboat have all been sent out by the Coast Guard. Their effort is centered on the region to the south of Nantucket, which marks the place where the aircraft’s last known position was recorded.
Latitude Air Ambulance operates the Gulfstream G100 as a medical transport aircraft from its base in Ontario, Canada. The G100 was originally a business jet, modified for medical use.
The Company Behind the Flight
The air ambulance service is operated by Latitude Air Ambulance. The company’s website states it has completed thousands of missions since 2009, bringing patients and their loved ones back to their families. It boasts “a flawless safety record.”
The site goes on to detail the aircraft’s setup, noting that it carries two pilots and a medical crew alongside a stretcher and full ICU medical equipment and supplies.
What Happened to the Plane
What happened was swift and terrible. The jet sank fast, paused for a moment, and then disappeared without warning.
Flight data shows the jet dropped at least 9,000 feet over two minutes, then leveled off for several more minutes, before disappearing. The pilot declared an emergency, according to Nantucket Memorial Airport.
Ground stations were unable to follow the aircraft through radio or radar after the dispatcher’s audio confirmed both systems had failed.
The Coast Guard’s Response
A Coast Guard response got underway at once. Two search and rescue aircraft, a helicopter and a motor lifeboat were sent to the area below Nantucket.
The region being searched is set according to where the plane was last reported to be.
The Missing People
Six people are thought to have been aboard the Gulfstream G100 at the time it vanished. The Coast Guard is now hunting for both the plane itself and the individuals believed to have been inside it.
Key Facts Box
- Aircraft: Gulfstream G100
- Operator: Latitude Air Ambulance, based in Ontario, Canada
- Route: Bermuda to Boston
- Passengers: Six people believed to be on board
- Altitude drop: At least 9,000 feet over two minutes
- Emergency declaration: Confirmed by Nantucket Memorial Airport
- Radio and radar: Lost, per dispatcher audio on Broadcastify
- Search assets: Two search and rescue planes, a helicopter, a motor lifeboat
A Coast Guard search is still underway for the missing medical plane with six people aboard. The aircraft disappeared following an abrupt descent and a failure to answer controllers.
A state of emergency was announced by the pilot. The coordinator instructed all crews to get ready for the aircraft’s landing. The controller then inquired whether the pilot was approaching without visual reference.
A number of Coast Guard resources have been sent to the waters below Nantucket. The search operation is still underway, and the outcome for the six individuals aboard the vessel has not yet been determined.
The search continues.
See the a run of 16 images at NPR.
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