6 People Aboard Latitude Air Ambulance Flight From Bermuda to Boston Presumed Dead

• The US Coast Guard ended its search for survivors off the coast of Nantucket after a medical transport aircraft disappeared on Saturday
• Latitude Air Ambulance confirmed all six people aboard its Gulfstream G-100 plane are presumed dead, including two pilots and a patient
• Flight data showed the aircraft lost significant altitude before contact was lost, and a debris field was later located

Six people aboard a Latitude Air Ambulance aircraft that disappeared while travelling from Bermuda to Boston are presumed dead after the United States Coast Guard called off its search for survivors on Sunday evening.

The Gulfstream G-100, operating under the callsign Heartbeat 104, lost contact with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) just after 01:00 local time on Saturday.

BBC reported that the aircraft had departed Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport at 23:40 on Friday night and was scheduled to land at Boston's Logan International Airport at 01:30 EDT. A debris field confirmed to be from the plane was found off the coast of Nantucket, a Massachusetts island, on Saturday evening.

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Peter Byl, President of Latitude Air Ambulance, issued a statement on Sunday evening expressing the company's grief.

"This is an unimaginable loss for our Latitude family and for everyone who loved the six people aboard Heartbeat 104," he said.

"Our focus now is on supporting their families, supporting our people and assisting the authorities. We will honour our colleagues by remembering the care, professionalism, and commitment they brought to their work every day."

The Canadian company confirmed that those on board included two pilots and two medical staff, all Canadian nationals, along with a patient and the patient's family support, identified as Bermudian nationals. Clarence Togeretz, director of flight operations at Latitude, told CBC News that the crew had flown to Bermuda specifically to collect the patient and their relative for a medical repatriation flight.

What Happened to Heartbeat 104?

Flight tracking data from FlightAware indicated the aircraft dropped sharply in altitude before all communications ceased, falling from approximately 7,300 metres to around 3,300 metres. Radio transmissions obtained by the Boston Globe through LiveATC.net revealed a tense exchange between the pilot and an air traffic controller in the moments before contact was lost.

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"You're coming in blind? Is that what you said?" the controller asked. "Are you declaring an emergency, or no?" The pilot's response was inaudible. The controller subsequently confirmed that an emergency had been declared. Shortly after 01:00 EDT, a local fire dispatcher instructed emergency crews to prepare for an aircraft reporting an "electrical issue," before later advising that "the aircraft has lost radio and radar."

Latitude Air Ambulance said it would cooperate fully with authorities during recovery operations and any subsequent investigation.

"Determining the circumstances and cause of an aviation accident is a careful and methodical process, and we will not speculate about what occurred," the company stated.

KCAA confirms Samburu helicopter crash

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that a tourist helicopter crashed near Mount Ololokwe in the Kirish area of Samburu County, Kenya, killing all seven people on board, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) confirmed on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

The aircraft, a Eurocopter EC130 B4 registered as 5Y-GYM, came down at approximately 9:13 a.m. local time while operating a flight between Loisaba and Ewasonyiro.

In an official statement released on Wednesday, the KCAA said it was coordinating with relevant government agencies and stakeholders in the wake of the accident.

Source: YEN.com.gh