US Coast Guard suspends search for six after a medical jet crashed on a Bermuda-Boston flight, with debris found near Nantucket Island.
US Coast Guard Suspends Search for Six After Medical Jet Crash
The US Coast Guard has suspended its search for six people who were on board a medical transport jet that crashed while flying from Bermuda to Boston.
The search was called off after rescue teams spent approximately 66 hours searching by air and sea. During the operation, crews covered about 4,445 miles (7,150km) and confirmed that debris discovered off the coast of Massachusetts near Nantucket Island belonged to the missing aircraft.
The medical jet, a Gulfstream G100, was carrying six people when it disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean. Those on board included two pilots, two medical staff members, a patient and a family member accompanying the patient.
The four crew members were Canadian, while the two passengers were Bermudian, according to authorities.
Rear Admiral Matthew Lake, commander of the Coast Guard’s Northeast District, said suspending the search was an extremely difficult decision. He expressed condolences to the families and thanked the agencies and personnel involved in the extensive search-and-rescue operation.
Six People Presumed Dead After Medical Jet Crash
The company operating the aircraft said the four members of its medical flight team, the patient and the patient’s family escort are now presumed to have died.
The medical transport company specialises in medical evacuation and repatriation flights, helping patients return home from other countries. Its missions are typically operated by two pilots and medical personnel.
The aircraft had travelled to Bermuda to pick up a patient before beginning its return flight to Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts.
The US Federal Aviation Administration notified the Coast Guard at around 2am on Saturday, or 06:00 GMT, after communication with the aircraft was lost.
The incident has raised questions about what happened during the aircraft’s final minutes before it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.
Medical Jet Lost Contact Before Steep Descent
Flight-tracking information showed that the Gulfstream G100 entered a steep descent shortly before communication was lost. Air traffic controllers attempted to re-establish contact with the aircraft but were unsuccessful.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the medical jet crash.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s flight data, communications with air traffic control, weather conditions and other available evidence as they work to establish why the plane went down.
The crash occurred in waters near Nantucket Island, where search crews located aircraft debris. Officials said the ocean in the area where debris was found was approximately 80 to 90 feet (24 to 27 metres) deep.
The discovery of the debris provided confirmation that the missing aircraft had crashed, but the search operation did not locate any survivors.
Search Operation Ends After 66 Hours
The Coast Guard and other agencies conducted an extensive search involving aircraft and vessels over several days.
Teams covered thousands of miles across the Atlantic in an effort to locate the missing medical aircraft and the six people aboard. Despite the large-scale operation, rescuers were unable to find survivors.
The decision to suspend the search marks the end of the active search-and-rescue phase. Attention will now shift toward determining the cause of the crash and understanding the aircraft’s final moments.
The incident has also renewed attention on the vital role of medical evacuation aircraft, which transport patients between countries when specialised medical care or repatriation is required.
The aircraft involved was operated by a company that provides international medical evacuation and patient repatriation services. Such flights normally include trained pilots and medical professionals who assist patients during long-distance air travel.
For the families of the six people aboard the aircraft, the suspension of the search brings a devastating conclusion to the rescue effort.
Officials have yet to announce the precise cause of the crash. Further investigation into the aircraft, flight path, communications and recovered debris is expected to provide more information about what happened before the medical jet disappeared over the Atlantic.
