NEED TO KNOW
Authorities have found a “debris field” from the medical transport aircraft that lost contact with air traffic control on Saturday, Oct. 3, after departing Bermuda for Boston
Six people were reportedly aboard, including two Canadian pilots and two medical staff
The U.S. Coast Guard is continuing to search for the missing people, along with multiple rescue agencies
Authorities have located debris from the medical transport aircraft that went missing while traveling from Bermuda to Boston on Saturday, Oct. 3.
At approximately 2 a.m. local time on Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notified the USCG that the Gulfstream G100 jet, tail number CGRJP, had lost contact with air traffic controllers while flying from Bermuda to Boston, PEOPLE previously reported.
Following the discovery of a “debris field” from the missing plane later that day, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) confirmed in a press release that there is an ongoing search off the coast of Nantucket for the six people who were on board the aircraft.
“Coast Guard search crews located a debris field that has been confirmed to be associated with the missing aircraft,” the USCG said. “Crews are continuing to search for the six people who were aboard the aircraft and the Coast Guard cutter William Sparling will continue search efforts throughout the night.”
The U.S. Coast Guard searches for the plane carrying six people that went missing off the coast of Nantucket, Mass., on Oct. 3.
Credit: us-coast-guard-nantucket-100426-jjs
The plane departed L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda for Boston Logan International Airport, the FAA previously confirmed to PEOPLE. The FAA issued “a Search and Rescue Alert Notice (ALNOT)” for the aircraft.
The medical transport aircraft is owned by Latitude Air Ambulances, a company that organizes international medical flights transporting patients home, according to CBC News and the BBC.
The people on board the plane included two pilots and two medical staff from Canada, Clarence Togeretz, director of flight operations at Latitude, told CBC News. They reportedly flew to Bermuda to collect a patient and their relative.
The pilot reportedly declared an emergency before losing contact with air traffic control, Nantucket Memorial Airport spokesperson Preston Harimon told CBC News.
A medical transport plane went missing off the coast of Nantucket, Mass., on Oct. 3
Credit: us-coast-guard-nantucket-100426-jjs
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The BBC reported that the aircraft plummeted from around 24,000 feet to 11,000 feet after losing contact with air traffic control.
The USCG has searched around 1,644 square miles for the aircraft in about 27 hours, according to its latest release.
The agencies assisting in the ongoing search include the Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, the Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, two helicopter crews from the New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing and the Coast Guard Cutter William Sparling.
PEOPLE has reached out to the FAA, USCG and Latitude Air Ambulances for further comment.
Read the original article on People
Source: www.yahoo.com
