Date from FlightRadar24 showed that the aircraft dropped sharply from its cruising altitude of around 24,000 feet to approximately 10,000 feet within two minutes.
The debris of the Bermuda-Boston Gulfstream aircraft that went missing in the early hours of Saturday has been recovered off the Nantucket coast, while the six people on board remain missing. The search for those on board the air ambulance jet is underway.
“Coast Guard search crews located a debris field that has been confirmed to be associated with the missing aircraft,” the US Coast Guard said. “Crews are continuing to search for the six people who were aboard the aircraft,” it added.
Bermuda-Boston Aircraft: Pilot Reported Electrical Problems, Declared Emergency
According to air traffic control audio posted by LiveATC.net, the aircraft may have been “coming in blind” as a storm approached shortly before it disappeared. The pilot reportedly informed air traffic control about electrical problems and declared an emergency while approaching the coast.
“Roger, you said you’re coming in blind. Is that what you said?” a controller can be heard asking the pilot, AP reported.
Preliminary data from flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 also showed that the aircraft dropped sharply from its cruising altitude of around 24,000 feet to approximately 10,000 feet within two minutes.
The missing aircraft was a Canadian-registered Gulfstream G100 operated by Canada-based Latitude Air Ambulance. It lost contact with authorities around 1.30 am while travelling from Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport to Massachusetts.
The plane was carrying six people, including two pilots, two medical staff, a patient and a family member. The US Coast Guard said four of those aboard were Canadian nationals, while two were Bermudian nationals.
Latitude Air Ambulance provides medical evacuation and repatriation services, transporting patients back to their home countries. Its aircraft had been flying the nighttime route when contact was lost.
