The U.S. Coast Guard on Oct. 4 suspended its search for six people aboard a medical transport aircraft that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nantucket after crews scoured thousands of miles and found a debris field linked to the missing jet.
The Gulfstream G100, operated by Latitude Air Ambulance, was traveling from Bermuda to Boston when the Federal Aviation Administration lost contact with the aircraft at about 2 a.m. local time on Oct. 3, according to the Coast Guard's Northeast District. The plane was carrying six people, including four Canadian nationals and two citizens of Bermuda.
Search crews later located a debris field that was confirmed to be associated with the aircraft, prompting an extensive air and sea operation
off the Massachusetts coast. By Oct. 4, the Coast Guard said searchers covered about 4,445 miles over roughly 66 hours.
Earlier on Oct. 4, the Coast Guard said during a news conference that it remained focused on locating the six people aboard the aircraft while keeping family members informed about the search effort. The agency later announced that it had suspended the search after rescuers found no sign of survivors.
"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 cause of the incident remains under investigation.
Debris field found off Massachusetts coast
The Coast Guard said crews discovered a debris field on Oct. 3 that was later confirmed to be from the missing aircraft.
During the news conference, Lake said crews were continuing efforts to assess the area, which he described as a "large and demanding search area."
He added that the area around the debris field was about 80 to 90 feet deep. Specialized vessels equipped with sonar were sought to assist with detection efforts near the crash site, Lake said.
The search involved Coast Guard crews along with personnel from the New York Air National Guard and Massachusetts agencies. Fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, cutters and boats were deployed throughout the operation, according to the Coast Guard.
Flight disappeared en route from Bermuda to Boston
According to data from flight tracking website FlightAware, the aircraft departed Bermuda at 12:41 a.m. local time on Oct. 3 and headed to Boston Logan International Airport. The jet was flying at about 24,000 feet for much of the trip before descending to 13,000 feet in about two minutes shortly before flight controllers lost contact, data showed.
Local TV station Boston 25 posted an audio clip from Boston Logan International Airport in which an air traffic controller can be heard asking the Gulfstream pilot, "You said you're coming in blind? Is that what you said?"
The controller then asked whether the plane was declaring an emergency. No response was heard.
Authorities have not released the names of the six people aboard the plane, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation. Latitude Air Ambulance, based in Ontario, Canada, provides medical evacuation services.
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coast Guard suspends search after medical jet crash off Nantucket
