U.S. Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Medical Transport Aircraft

<figure><img alt="A U.S. Coast Guard plane searches for people after it found debris from a medical transport aircraft off the shore of Massachusetts' Nantucket island, October 3, 2026." src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/N2XNHZEEMRCQRHCNFGXJF6DAR4.JPG?auth=3eaa32ca1939096d24e6bc0bb6bcd8b581af8a9aed7618bce62a665e33fa2947&amp;smart=true&amp;width=492&amp;height=277" /><figcaption>US Coast Guard / via REUTERS</figcaption></figure><p>The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for six individuals aboard a medical transport aircraft that went missing off the coast of Nantucket. </p><p>At approximately 2 a.m. on Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) informed the Coast Guard that contact with the Gulfstream G100 twinjet aircraft had been lost while it was en route from Bermuda to Boston. </p><p>The aircraft disappeared from the FAA’s radar just before its scheduled landing, according to officials.</p><img alt="U.S. Coast Guard members search for people after it found debris from a medical transport aircraft off the shore of Massachusetts' Nantucket island, October 3, 2026. / US Coast Guard / via REUTERS" height="1080" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/N53JXPKM4BGHXPB5DWWOBCXFAQ.JPG?auth=9c862f9a6d46935f6158ceab7512594c3016214e496d62af34e5b01dd07593d7&amp;smart=true&amp;width=1445&amp;height=1080" width="1445" /><p>Rear Admiral Matthew Lake, Commander of the Northeast District, stated in a press release on Sunday, “Suspending a search is not an easy decision.”</p><p>He added, “We express our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones affected by the tragedy and our gratitude for our partner agencies who helped support search efforts.”</p><p>The six individuals on board included four Canadian nationals, consisting of two medics and two pilots, along with a Bermudian patient and their relative, as reported by the Coast Guard and Latitude Air Ambulance, the owner of the missing plane. The patient was being transported from Bermuda to Boston for medical care, according to the New York Post. Next of kin have been notified.</p><p>The Coast Guard reported that crews conducted searches by air and sea while agencies worked to ascertain the aircraft’s last known position. Officials spent over 66 hours searching across 4,445 square miles for the aircraft.</p><p>FlightAware data indicated that the aircraft descended rapidly before disappearing, dropping from approximately 24,000 feet to 11,000 feet in about three minutes. This descent began around 1:04 a.m., according to flight-tracking data.</p><p>Air traffic control recordings from the moments leading up to the plane's disappearance provided additional context. At approximately 12:46 a.m., a controller asked the pilot, “You’re coming in blind? Is that what you said?” The controller then inquired if the pilot was declaring an emergency, but the pilot's response was not audible.</p><video id="XAPg4fuq" poster="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/XAPg4fuq/poster.jpg"><source src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/XAPg4fuq.mp4" type="video/mp4" /></video><p>Reports indicated that the aircraft had experienced an electrical issue, as noted in radio transmissions reviewed by the Post. At around 1:12 a.m., a Massport Fire Rescue dispatcher instructed emergency crews to prepare for the plane, which was expected to arrive in Boston within about 15 minutes. The dispatcher indicated that “the aircraft has lost radio and radar.”</p><p>The FAA issued a search-and-rescue alert around 1:20 a.m. as authorities worked to locate the aircraft.</p><p>Debris from the air ambulance was discovered floating in the ocean on Saturday night. The Coast Guard confirmed that the debris field was linked to the missing aircraft, but the six individuals aboard remained unaccounted for.</p><p>The Coast Guard stated that the appropriate investigative authorities will coordinate an investigation into the incident.</p><p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/coast-guard-makes-grim-announcement-after-medical-plane-vanishes/">Read more at The Daily Beast.</a></p>