US Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Ontario Air Ambulance off Nantucket
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search after approximately 66 hours for a missing Ontario air ambulance and the six people on board following its disappearance off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, the agency announced Sunday evening. The Gulfstream G100 jet, operated by the Hamilton-based Latitude Air Ambulance, vanished early Saturday after losing contact with air traffic controllers while traveling from Bermuda to Boston Logan International Airport.
Search Operations and Debris Field Discovery Off Nantucket
U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Matthew Lake told reporters on Sunday that search teams had successfully located a debris field roughly 32 kilometres off Nantucket, where water depths range between 24 and 28 metres. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a search and rescue alert notice for the twin-jet aircraft around 1:20 a.m.
Despite the favorable weather conditions reported Sunday by Coast Guard Capt. John McTamney, chief of response for the Northeast District, officials ultimately determined that the likelihood of finding survivors had passed. Crews will continue to 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,
said Capt. John McTamney, chief of response for the U.S. Coast Guard’s northeast district.
Flight Carried Four Crew Members and Two Passengers
The flight carried four Canadian crew members and two Bermudian passengers, according to statements from Latitude Air Ambulance operations manager Clarence Togeretz. The personnel on board included two pilots and two medical staff who had flown to Bermuda to collect a patient and their accompanying relative. The two other people are Bermudian nationals, the Coast Guard said. Radio transmissions provided by LiveATC.net and detailed by the Boston Globe and BBC revealed that an air traffic controller attempted to contact the pilot after communications faltered, asking if an emergency was being declared before confirming the pilot had declared an emergency. If you can hear me, at your discretion, please send me anything … please call now …I understand that you have declared an emergency,
a controller asked the pilot, followed by no audible response. According to the Globe, the air traffic controller also asked, You’re coming in blind?
Is that what you said?,
and You’re coming in a little weak so I didn’t hear what your response was, if you were declaring an emergency or not,
before confirming the pilot had declared an emergency. Togeretz said Saturday the company is dealing with the situation with as much positivity and optimism as we can,
and that We’re praying for a safe outcome.
Canadian and Bermudian Authorities Respond to Tragedy
Canadian and Bermudian authorities responded to the tragedy over the weekend. Steven MacKinnon, Canada’s transportation minister, shared a statement on social media expressing thoughts for those on board and their families, having previously stated in an email to CNN, Our thoughts are with those on board and their loved ones as the search continues,
and later stating, My thoughts are with all those on board, as well as their families, loved ones, and colleagues, during this extremely difficult time,
in a social media post on Saturday. Togeretz said Latitude Air Ambulance is in contact with Transport Canada. Coast Guard noted that future investigations into the cause of the incident will be coordinated by the appropriate investigative authorities.