Search suspended for 6 people on air ambulance that disappeared off Massachusetts coast
FILE - Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter (Photo by Lisa Lake/Getty Images)
The search for six people who were aboard an air ambulance that was bound for Boston when it disappeared off the Massachusetts coast has been suspended.
Big picture view:
The U.S. Coast Guard indicated that rescue teams had covered more than 4,400 miles as they searched for the jet that had departed from Bermuda with four crew members and two passengers aboard.
What they're saying:
"Suspending a search is not an easy decision," Rear Adm. Matthew Lake, commander of the Coast Guard’s Northeast District, said in a statement. "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."
The backstory:
The search began early Saturday morning after the Federal Aviation Administration alerted the Coast Guard around 2 a.m. that it had lost contact with the Gulfstream G100 over the Atlantic Ocean. During a news conference on Sunday, Lake revealed that a "debris field" was located off the coast of Nantucket in water that was about 80 to 90 feet deep.
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What we know:
Four Canadians and two Bermudians were aboard the air ambulance when it departed from Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport for the overnight flight to Boston, the airport’s operator, Skyport, stated.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not determined what caused the plane to disappear. The Associated Press reported that air traffic audio indicated that the plane may have been "coming in blind" with a storm ahead. Additionally, the pilot is reported to have called in an electrical problem and declared an emergency as the plane approached the coast.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from the Associated Press. This story was reported from Orlando.