Medical jet disappears after chilling cockpit call

A medical jet carrying six individuals disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, according to the US Coast Guard. The aircraft, operated by a Canadian-registered company, was en route from Bermuda to Boston. Among the passengers were four Canadians and two Bermudians. Their next of kin have been notified, and a Coast Guard cutter will continue searching the waters overnight and into Sunday.

Air traffic audio indicates that the plane may have been navigating without visibility due to electrical problems when it encountered a storm, leading to its disappearance just before dawn on Saturday. The pilot reported electrical issues and declared an emergency as the aircraft approached the coast, according to the audio shared by LiveATC.net.

Former Inspector General of the Transportation Department, Mary Schiavo, speculates that the plane likely lost its navigational instruments as the storm passed overhead, making it a perilous situation for the crew. The aircraft rapidly descended from its cruising altitude of approximately 24,000 feet to around 10,000 feet, according to preliminary data from FlightRadar24. This sudden drop, coupled with the storm, could have rendered the crew disoriented and unable to navigate correctly.

The aircraft was registered in Canada and operated by Skyport, the operator of L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda. Transport Canada is closely monitoring the situation and collaborating with authorities on the search and rescue efforts. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the Gulfstream G100 lost contact with air traffic control very early on Saturday morning.

The National Transportation Safety Board is gathering information regarding the incident but has not yet determined if a formal investigation will be conducted.