Search and rescue operations are underway off the coast of Nantucket following the disappearance of a medical transport jet carrying six people on a flight from Bermuda to Boston. The Gulfstream G100, operated by Ontario-based Latitude Air Ambulance, lost contact with air traffic controllers early Saturday morning, prompting a coordinated response by U.S. authorities.
The jet departed L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda shortly before midnight local time Friday for the approximately 800-mile flight to Boston’s Logan International Airport. On board were four crew members and two passengers, including a patient and a family member, according to officials. Nationality details indicate that the crew were Canadian citizens, while the passengers were Bermudian nationals.
Flight monitoring data showed that the aircraft maintained an altitude near 24,000 feet for most of the journey before descending roughly 13,000 feet within a three-minute window just before losing radar contact around 1 a.m. eastern daylight time. Radio transmissions obtained from air traffic control recordings reveal that the pilot reported electrical failures and declared an emergency as the plane approached Nantucket. However, communication became increasingly difficult, and controllers were unable to confirm the aircraft’s final position.
Authorities issued an alert and began staging emergency crews at Logan Airport in anticipation of the jet’s arrival, but it never landed. At approximately 2 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration notified the U.S. Coast Guard, which subsequently deployed boats, planes, and helicopters to conduct a search and rescue mission in the waters south of Nantucket.
Local law enforcement on Nantucket also conducted searches of the airport and surrounding shoreline but found no sign of the aircraft. The Coast Guard has confirmed that, as of Saturday evening, the six individuals aboard remain unaccounted for.
Government representatives in Bermuda have been in contact with the families of those on board and are closely monitoring the situation. Canadian Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon acknowledged the nationalities of the crew members but declined to release further personal details. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey expressed sympathy for the individuals involved and their families.
The exact cause of the electrical issues reported by the pilot and the subsequent rapid descent remains under investigation as search efforts continue in challenging conditions. The incident marks a significant emergency response involving multiple U.S. agencies, with the priority remaining to locate any survivors and determine the fate of the missing aircraft.