Six Presumed Dead Following Disappearance of Medical Transport Aircraft Near US Coast

The operator of a medical transport aircraft that went missing while traveling from Bermuda to Boston has announced that all six people on board are presumed dead.

On Sunday evening, the United States Coast Guard concluded its search for survivors in the waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts.

“We must now face the heartbreaking reality that the four members of our Latitude team, our patient, and the patient’s family escort, who were aboard Heartbeat 104, are presumed to have died,” Latitude Air Ambulance stated in a formal release.

“Our thoughts are foremost with their families, loved ones, friends, and colleagues.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported losing contact with the Gulfstream G-100 aircraft shortly after 01:00 local time (05:00 GMT) on Saturday morning.

By Saturday evening, authorities had identified a debris field confirmed to be from the missing plane.

Flight data from FlightAware indicates the aircraft departed L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda at 23:40 local time on Friday, with a scheduled arrival at Boston’s Logan International at 01:30 EDT (05:30 GMT).

The passengers included four Canadian nationals and two Bermudian nationals.

The Bermuda Police Service has identified the Bermudian passengers as 66-year-old Marilyn Lavonne Bean and her 41-year-old son, Sergio Wayne Lottimore.

The US Coast Guard identified the Canadian passengers as Philip Gregory Childerhose, Thomas Henry Farquhar, Sarah Jane Paton, and Jolene Beth Weir.

“This is an unimaginable loss for our Latitude family and for everyone who loved the six people aboard Heartbeat 104,” said Peter Byl, President of Latitude Air Ambulance, on Sunday evening.

“Our focus is now on supporting their families, our staff, and assisting the authorities. We will honor our colleagues by remembering the professionalism and dedication they brought to their work every day.”

Latitude Air Ambulance is a Canadian-based company specializing in international medical repatriation flights.

Clarence Togeretz, director of flight operations at Latitude, told CBC News that two Canadian pilots and two medical staff had traveled to Bermuda to collect a patient and a family escort.

Tracking data from FlightAware shows the aircraft underwent a significant altitude drop before losing communication, descending from approximately 24,000 feet (7,300m) to 11,000 feet (3,300m).

According to reports from the Boston Globe based on LiveATC.net recordings, radio transmissions indicated communication difficulties between the pilot and air traffic control.

“You’re coming in blind? Is that what you said?” the air traffic controller was heard asking. “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 if you were declaring an emergency or not,” the controller noted, according to the Globe.

The controller later confirmed that the pilot had indeed declared an emergency.

Just after 01:00 EDT, an area fire dispatcher alerted emergency crews to prepare for a plane experiencing “electrical issues.”

The dispatcher subsequently noted that the aircraft had lost both radio and radar capabilities.

In a Sunday evening statement, Latitude confirmed it will continue to cooperate with all relevant authorities throughout the recovery and investigation processes.

“Determining the exact circumstances and cause of an aviation accident is a methodical process, and we will refrain from speculation regarding the event,” the company stated.

Source link