Six individuals on a medical evacuation flight that went missing off the U. S. East Coast while heading from Bermuda to Boston are now presumed dead after the search-and-rescue operations were halted, according to the Ontario-based company that operated the aircraft.
Hamilton-based Latitude Air Ambulance released a statement indicating that the United States Coast Guard has concluded active search-and-rescue efforts and shifted to recovery operations following the disappearance of Heartbeat 104 Medevac.
Authorities had been scouring waters near Nantucket, Mass., after the plane disappeared early Saturday morning.
The company mentioned that this decision means they must now face “the heartbreaking reality” that those six individuals on board are presumed dead.
The Gulfstream G100 was carrying four Latitude crew members, a patient being flown from Bermuda to Boston, and a family escort who accompanied the patient, according to the company.
The aircraft vanished around 1:30 a. m. ET Saturday while it was en route to Boston. Earlier Sunday, the Coast Guard noted that search teams were concentrating their efforts around a debris field found in the area but did not clarify at that time if they had transitioned from rescue to recovery mode.
Air traffic audio suggests that the plane might have been “coming in blind” as it approached stormy weather right before it disappeared.
The pilot reported electrical issues and declared an emergency as they neared land, according to air traffic control audio shared by Live ATC. net. “Roger, you said you’re coming in blind. Is that what you said?” one controller can be heard asking the pilot.
Latitude stated its four crew members were engaged in their mission of providing care during challenging moments when this tragedy occurred.
“Our four crew members were valued members of the Latitude family,” the company expressed in its statement. “They dedicated themselves to providing care to people at some of the most difficult moments in their lives.”
In a statement, Latitude president Peter Byl described the loss as “unimaginable” and emphasized that supporting families of those on board and assisting investigators is their immediate focus.
The company mentioned it will continue working with U. S. National Transportation Safety Board, Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and other authorities involved in both recovery efforts and investigations.
No cause has been revealed yet, and Latitude stated they won’t speculate while investigators look into what happened.
With files from John Marchesan and Denio Lourenco, City News
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