Medical Transport Plane Missing Off US Coast; Six Presumed Dead
Six people aboard a Gulfstream G‑100 medical transport aircraft, known as Heartbeat 104, went missing on Saturday night while flying from Bermuda to Boston. The aircraft was last seen contacting air traffic control just after 01:00 local time and then lost all radio and radar links.
The United States Coast Guard announced on Sunday evening it would terminate the search for survivors off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Authorities later located a "debris field" that was confirmed to belong to the missing helicopter, confirming a fatal crash.
Latitude Air Ambulance, the Canadian operator, released a statement that the four employees of its Latitude team, the patient, and the patient’s relative aboard the flight were presumed dead. The company added that its focus remains on supporting families and cooperating with the investigation.
Flight data shows the aircraft dropped sharply, falling from roughly 7,300 m to 3,300 m before its communications went silent. Radio transmissions recorded an emergency declaration by the pilot and a question from Boston‑side controllers: “Are you declaring an emergency?” The pilot’s reply was inaudible.
The FAA and local authorities are continuing to probe the circumstances of the incident. Latitude Air Ambulance stated it would not speculate about the cause until a formal investigation has concluded.
The loss of Heartbeat 104 represents a devastating blow to the international medical transport community, marking the sharpest reminder in recent years of the vulnerability of air travel for critical patient care.
