Four Canadians aboard Ontario-based air ambulance missing off U.S. coast

U.S. Coast Guard vessels and aircraft searching waters off Nantucket for a missing air ambulance with six on board, four of whom are Canadians. Photo by U.S. Coast Guard

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An extensive marine search is ongoing in the waters off Nantucket for a missing air ambulance that was carrying six people, four of whom are Canadian employees of a private Ontario-based medical flight company.

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The U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement that “search crews located a debris field that has been confirmed to be associated with the missing aircraft,” a Gulfstream G100 on its way from L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda to Boston Logan International Airport before losing contact with Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers around 2 a.m. Saturday morning.

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The FAA, in an email to National Post, said it issued a search and rescue alert for the aircraft around 1:20 a.m.

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The aircraft’s tail number C-GRJP is associated with Latitude Air Ambulance, a Hamilton company contracted by governments, insurance companies and other organizations “to provide safe and reliable medical evacuation and repatriation services” via its 10 aircraft.

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The Coast Guard said the two other occupants are Bermudan nationals, a patient and one of their family members.

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Company spokesman Clarence Togeretz told AFP the Canadians were the two pilots and two medical staff. He told The Canadian Press that this is the first time the carrier lost contact with one of its aircraft.

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He said they’re “dealing with the situation with as much positivity and optimism as we can.” and “praying for a safe outcome.”

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The Coast Guard are due to hold a press conference Sunday morning to provide more information on their operations.

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On Saturday, multiple Coast Guard and U.S. National Guard aircraft and vessels searched an area of 1,644 square miles (4,258 square kilometres) over 27 hours.

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More to come. 

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