Debris Found in Search for Missing Air Ambulance Flying From Bermuda to Boston

BOSTON (AP) — Search crews have located a debris field believed to be from a missing air ambulance that disappeared while traveling from Bermuda to Boston with six people on board, dealing a devastating blow to hopes of a successful rescue.

The U.S. Coast Guard said search teams found debris in the Atlantic Ocean after the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control during the flight. The jet, a Canadian-registered medical transport aircraft, was carrying six occupants when it vanished.

According to officials, the aircraft was en route from Bermuda to Boston when it encountered trouble. Flight-tracking data indicated the plane experienced a rapid loss of altitude shortly after communications were interrupted. Air traffic control recordings reportedly suggested the crew may have been dealing with electrical problems before the aircraft disappeared.

The Federal Aviation Administration alerted the Coast Guard after contact with the aircraft was lost. Search crews from multiple agencies spent hours combing a large section of the Atlantic before locating debris believed to be from the missing jet.

Officials said four Canadian nationals and two Bermudian nationals were aboard the flight. Families of those on board have been notified.

While authorities have not formally identified the cause of the incident, investigators are expected to focus on the aircraft’s reported electrical issues, weather conditions along the route and the sequence of events that preceded the loss of contact.

The discovery of the debris field significantly reduces hopes of finding survivors and marks the beginning of what is expected to be a lengthy investigation into one of the region’s most troubling aviation incidents this year. Federal transportation safety officials and aviation investigators are expected to examine recovered wreckage and flight data in an effort to determine what caused the aircraft to go down.