The U.S. Coast Guard is leading an urgent, multi-agency search off the coast of Massachusetts after an Ontario-based air ambulance jet went missing early Saturday morning with six people on board.
The Gulfstream G100 jet, operated by Hamilton-based Latitude Air Ambulance, had departed from Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport and was en route to Boston Logan International Airport. According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a search and rescue alert was issued at 1:20 a.m. ET after contact was lost with the aircraft, identified as tail number C-GRJP.
Flight tracking data from FlightAware indicates that the jet experienced a sudden drop in altitude, descending from approximately 7,300 metres to 3,400 metres at around 1 a.m. ET before briefly stabilizing. Shortly thereafter, communication ceased. Nantucket Memorial Airport officials confirmed they were alerted that the aircraft had declared an emergency before it disappeared from radar.
Clarence Togeretz, director of flight operations at Latitude, stated that the crew consisted of two Canadian pilots and two Canadian medical staff members. They were transporting a patient and a companion, neither of whom are Canadian, back from Bermuda. Togeretz expressed that the company is “praying for a safe outcome” and noted that this is the first time in the company’s history that it has lost contact with one of its aircraft.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s northeast division is spearheading the recovery operation in the waters off Nantucket. The search effort is extensive, utilizing an airplane and helicopter crew from Cape Cod, a 47-foot motor lifeboat from the Brant Point station, and the patrol ship William Sparling. Five teams are currently scouring the area in the hopes of locating the vessel and its passengers.
Government officials on both sides of the border have expressed deep concern. Canadian Minister of Transportation Steven MacKinnon stated on social media that the federal government is “closely monitoring” the situation and working in tandem with U.S. authorities. Similarly, Bermuda Premier David Burt issued a statement confirming that his government is in contact with the families of those on board and is working with international agencies to support the search.
While the incident has sent shockwaves through the aviation community, Ornge, Ontario’s primary air ambulance service, clarified that the missing flight was not affiliated with their operations. However, the company extended its sympathies, stating they are “deeply concerned” by the news.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is gathering information to assist in the investigation. As the search continues into the weekend, the aviation industry and the families involved remain in a state of anxious vigil, hoping for a positive resolution in the North Atlantic.
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