A debris field has been discovered in the search for a Canadian air ambulance that vanished over the Atlantic while transporting a patient from Bermuda to Boston. The aircraft disappeared off the coast of Massachusetts in the early hours of Saturday with six people on board.
The plane plummeted 14,000ft in two minutes, according to flight data, and disappeared around 1.30am. Two Canadian pilots, two Canadian medical workers, a patient from Bermuda and their relative were on the Ontario-registered aircraft.
Search and rescue efforts continue
The US Coast Guard said a debris field associated with the aircraft has been found off the coast of Nantucket. However, in an update issued this afternoon, officials said the amount of components discovered has made it difficult to identify "exactly what's there", according to CBC, the Canadian national broadcaster.
Lt.-Cmdr. Kastriot Kastrati, who is coordinating the search and rescue mission, said the size of the debris field has made it "very difficult to get into the details of what's there". The field was discovered about 20 miles off the coast of Nantucket, with the water in the area reportedly being 24 to 28 metres deep.
Teams are now focusing solely on finding the six missing people. US Coast Guard Rear Admiral Matt Lake said: "Our priority is to find the six personnel on that aircraft." Lt.-Cmdr. Kastrati added: "Right now, we're really just focused on finding the people."
Aircraft black box not yet identified
The aircraft's black box has also not yet been identified due to how "extensive" the debris field is. Mr Lake refused to speculate on the possible cause of the crash, saying this would be part of an upcoming investigation.
The Gulfstream G100 took off from Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport and was due to land at Boston Logan International Airport. Air traffic audio indicates that the plane may have been "coming in blind" when a storm loomed ahead shortly before it vanished.
In audio shared by LiveATC.net, an air traffic controller can be heard asking the pilot at 12.46am: "Roger, you said you're 'coming in blind.' Is that what you said?" The pilot is understood to have reported electrical problems and declared an emergency as the plane approached the coast. The controller went on to ask, "Are you declaring an emergency or no? You're coming in a little weak so I didn't hear what your response was," but received no response.
Crews to continue search
Cpt. John Mctamney, chief of response for the US Coast Guard's northeast district, said crews will continue their search "until we're at the point where if there were any survivors on the surface of the water, we're confident we would have found them."
