U.S. Coast Guard finds debris from missing air ambulance carrying four Canadians

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Debris from a missing Ontario air ambulance that had been carrying six people, including four Canadians,
has been spotted off the coast of the United States.

The U.S. Coast Guard said search crews found a debris field roughly 150 kilometres southeast of Boston and confirmed it belonged to the missing aircraft.

A statement said the search continues for the occupants, and that Coast Guard cutter William Sparling will spearhead the effort throughout the night.

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The frantic search began after the Federal Aviation Administration lost contact with the plane early Saturday as it travelled from Bermuda to Boston.

The aircraft, a Gulfstream G100 jet, belongs to Latitude Air Ambulance, a Hamilton-based medical evacuation company.

Clarence Togeretz, operations manager for Latitude Air Ambulance, told The Canadian Press that the missing aircraft was transporting a patient and their family member, with two pilots and two medical staff on board.

The four crew members are Canadian, he said, while the two passengers are Bermuda nationals.

Togeretz said Latitude had been tracking the flight and lost contact with it around 1:30 a.m. Saturday as it was approaching Boston.

When the plane failed to reach the tarmac, the company reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard, Togeretz said.

Togeretz said the company is “dealing with the situation with as much positivity and optimism as we can.”

“We’re praying for a safe outcome,” he said.

The operations manager said this is the first time Latitude Air Ambulance has lost contact with one of its planes.

The company offers emergency medical transportation by plane worldwide, according to its website.

According to the Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration reported that the Gulfstream G100 lost contact very early Saturday morning. Air traffic audio indicates that it may have been “coming in blind” when a storm loomed ahead shortly before it vanished.

The pilot reported electrical problems and declared an emergency as the jet approached the coast, according to air traffic control audio posted by LiveATC.net. “Roger, you said you’re coming in blind. Is that what you said?” a controller can be heard asking the pilot.

That makes Mary Schiavo, who is a former Inspector General of the Transportation Department, think the plane may have lost its navigational instruments just as a storm moved across its path on radar. The plane also descended sharply from its cruising altitude of around 24,000 feet to around 10,000 feet, according to preliminary data from flight tracking site FlightRadar24.

“Something bad happened with this big drop, and they flew into this big storm. It’s a terrible place to have a loss of your instruments and be flying blind,” said Schiavo, who is an aviation attorney. “It’s very easy to get disoriented and not know if you’re turning, climbing, descending, etc.”

Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon wrote on social media that the government is closely monitoring the situation and working with authorities as the search continues.

“My thoughts are with everyone on board, as well as their families, loved ones and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time,” he wrote.

Bermuda Premier David Burt wrote in a statement that the government is in contact with the families of those on board and U.S. searchers.

Ontario’s air ambulance service provider Ornge reacted to the news of the missing plane on Saturday, writing in a social media post that it hopes “the aircraft and all passengers are located safely and quickly.”

Togeretz said Latitude Air Ambulance is in contact with Transport Canada. The Canadian Press reached out to the federal agency for comment but did not immediately hear back.

With reports from The Associated Press