Air ambulance missing on flight from Bermuda to Boston

What the report says

An air ambulance carrying six people went missing on a flight from Bermuda to Boston, according to Al Jazeera’s report, which cited the US coastguard, the Federal Aviation Administration and other officials. The Canadian-registered Gulfstream jet departed Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport overnight and lost contact after the FAA informed the coastguard early on Saturday, the report said.

The US coastguard said it dispatched air and surface crews to search near Nantucket, an island community south of mainland Massachusetts. The aircraft was registered to Latitude Air Ambulance, based in Ontario, Canada, and the Bermuda airport operator Skyport said the plane had four crew members and two passengers on board. Canada’s transport minister, Steven MacKinnon, said four Canadians were on the plane and said officials were monitoring the search and rescue effort.

Flight tracking data cited by Al Jazeera showed the aircraft at 24,000 feet for much of the trip before descending rapidly shortly before communications were lost. A radio recording posted by LiveATC.net suggested the pilot declared an emergency before contact ended. The US National Transportation Safety Board said it was collecting information, while Bermuda’s government said it was working with US authorities and families of those aboard.

The case matters because it involves an air medical transport flight on an international route, triggering a multi-agency search and coordination between Bermuda, Canada and US authorities. Latitude Air Ambulance had not publicly responded at the time of the report.