United States authorities have recovered debris from a medical transport aircraft that disappeared while flying from Bermuda to Boston, Massachusetts, with six people on board.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it lost contact with the Gulfstream G-100 shortly after 1am local time on Saturday as the aircraft was travelling towards Boston.
The United States Coast Guard said the search for possible survivors was continuing off Nantucket, an island off the Massachusetts coast.
The Coast Guard said the debris field had been confirmed to be from the missing aircraft.
Ships, helicopters and planes were deployed in the search, which continued through the night.
Authorities have informed the next of kin of the six people on board, comprising four Canadian nationals and two Bermudian nationals.
According to Clarence Togeretz, director of flight operations at Latitude Air Ambulances, two pilots and two medical staff were among those aboard, while the aircraft had travelled to Bermuda to pick up a patient and the patient’s relative.
Flight data showed that the aircraft departed L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda at 11:40pm local time and was expected to arrive at Boston’s Logan International Airport at about 1:30am EDT.
The aircraft was operated by Latitude Air Ambulances, which provides international medical flights for patients returning home.
FlightAware data indicated that the plane’s altitude fell sharply from about 7,300 metres to 3,300 metres before communications were lost.
Radio transmissions also suggested there had been difficulties communicating between the pilot and air traffic control.
“You’re coming in blind? Is that what you said?,” the air traffic controller asked.
“Are you declaring an emergency, or no?”
The pilot’s response was inaudible.
“You’re coming in a little weak so I didn’t hear what your response was, if you were declaring an emergency or not,” the air traffic controller said.
The controller later confirmed that the pilot had declared an emergency.
An area fire dispatcher had also instructed emergency crews to prepare for an aircraft reporting an “electrical issue” before later stating that “the aircraft has lost radio and radar”.
The Coast Guard said it would provide a further update on the search on Sunday morning local time.
