Search Underway for Missing Medical Plane Off Massachusetts Coast

The search for a medical transport aircraft that went missing with six people on board is being conducted near Nantucket, an island off the coast of Massachusetts. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that it lost contact with the Gulfstream G-100 plane shortly after 01:00 local time (05:00 GMT) on Saturday, while it was traveling from Bermuda to Boston, Massachusetts. The U.S. Coast Guard stated that the search for survivors continues off the coast of Nantucket. Authorities have notified the next of kin of those on the flight, which includes four Canadian nationals and two Bermudian nationals. The Coast Guard confirmed that search crews located a debris field from the aircraft off the coast of Nantucket. Ships, helicopters, and planes are involved in the search efforts, which will continue through the night. The plane departed from Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport at 23:40 local time and was scheduled to land at Boston's Logan International Airport at 01:30 EDT (05:30 GMT). The aircraft belonged to Latitude Air Ambulances, which provides international medical flights for patients returning home. Among those on board were two pilots and two medical staff, both Canadian, according to Clarence Togeretz, director of flight operations at Latitude. The crew had flown to Bermuda to collect a patient and their relative, who are not Canadian. Flight data from FlightAware indicates that the aircraft significantly dropped in altitude before losing communication, descending from approximately 7,300 meters (24,000 feet) to 3,300 meters (11,000 feet). Radio transmissions indicated issues with communication between the air traffic controller and the pilot. The air traffic controller confirmed that the pilot had declared an emergency. An area fire dispatcher had requested emergency crews to prepare for a plane with an "electrical issue" shortly after 01:00 EDT, and later reported that the aircraft had lost radio and radar. The Coast Guard is expected to provide an update on Sunday morning local time.