Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Medical Aircraft
Coast Guard suspends search for missing medical aircraft carrying six people after losing contact over the weekend.
2 min read
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has suspended the search for a medical transport aircraft that went missing over the weekend, following the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) losing contact with the plane. The search, which lasted 66 hours, was called off after sunset on Sunday, with the Coast Guard expressing deep condolences to the families of the six people on board.
Search and Debris Discovery
On Saturday, the Coast Guard located a debris field confirmed to be from the small medical aircraft off the coast of Nantucket. The plane, a Gulfstream G100 with the tail number C-GRJP, was part of Latitude Air Ambulance’s fleet and was traveling from Bermuda to Boston, Massachusetts. It carried four Canadian nationals — two pilots and two medical staff members — and two Bermudian nationals, reportedly including the patient and the patient’s son.
#UPDATE : The Coast Guard has suspended the search for the people aboard the medical transport aircraft that went missing around 2 a.m. Saturday, as of sunset, after 66 hours of continuous searching by the Coast Guard and partner agencies. We express our deepest condolences to the…
According to audio transmissions, an air traffic controller could be heard asking whether the pilot was experiencing an emergency shortly before contact was lost. The plane had been cruising at 24,000 feet and fell to about 10,000 feet, according to FlightRadar24. Latitude Air Ambulance released a statement acknowledging the tragic loss: “We must now face the heartbreaking reality that four team members and two passengers are presumed to have died.”
The next of kin of the six people on board have been notified by the USCG of the situation. The Coast Guard’s Northeast District provided an update on X, stating, “The Coast Guard has suspended the search for the people aboard the medical transport aircraft that went missing around 2 a.m. Saturday, as of sunset, after 66 hours of continuous searching by the Coast Guard and partner agencies. We express our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones.”
Response and Next Steps
The incident has raised questions about the safety and communication protocols for medical transport aircraft. As the search concludes, the focus now shifts to supporting the families and understanding the circumstances of the crash. The Coast Guard continues to monitor the situation and provide updates to the families and the public.
Source: OANN
