Flight data indicates the jet, registered to Latitude Air Ambulance, departed L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda at 11:41 p.m. Friday for an 800-mile flight to Boston Logan International Airport. For the majority of the journey, the aircraft maintained an altitude of approximately 24,000 feet. However, at about 1:04 a.m. Eastern Time, the plane descended 13,000 feet within three minutes. Radio transmissions captured during the final minutes of the flight reveal that the pilot reported electrical failures to air traffic control in New York.
Communication between the pilot and controllers became strained as the aircraft approached the coastline. At 12:46 a.m., a controller asked the pilot, “You’re coming in blind? Is that what you said? Are you declaring an emergency, or no?” The pilot’s response was not audible in the recordings. A subsequent transmission confirmed that the pilot had declared an emergency, but contact was lost almost immediately. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a search and rescue alert notice for the aircraft at 1:20 a.m. ET, coordinating with the Rescue Coordination Center and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The U.S. Coast Guard launched a massive search effort involving multiple assets, including aircraft, a helicopter, and two vessels. Teams deployed for the operation include an airplane and helicopter crew from Cape Cod, a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Brant Point, and the William Sparling patrol ship. The search is focused on waters south of Nantucket. As of Saturday night, the Coast Guard had not issued an update on the status of the mission or the location of the aircraft.
Passenger and Crew Details
The aircraft was carrying six individuals: a patient, a family member, and a four-person crew. According to Clarence Togeretz, operations manager for Latitude Air Ambulance, the four crew members are Canadian citizens, while the patient and their family member are Bermudian nationals. Latitude Air Ambulance is an Ontario-based company that operates out of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport.
The Bermudian government stated it is in touch with the families of the passengers and U.S. search crews. Bermuda Premier David Burt issued a statement expressing hope for the safe recovery of the individuals aboard. “We are praying that all six people will be found safe,” Burt said.
Air traffic controllers attempted to locate the jet using visual confirmation from other aircraft in the vicinity. A controller asked the pilot of a second plane whether the missing Gulfstream was visible on its anti-collision system. The pilot of the second aircraft responded that they could not pick up any signs of the jet, noting that their plane was flying at a much higher altitude than the descending medical transport.
The incident has raised urgent questions regarding the causes of the electrical failures and the subsequent rapid descent. No debris or distress signals have been publicly confirmed as of the latest updates. Authorities continue to coordinate efforts to locate the aircraft and the six people aboard.
