Summary (tl;dr)

A Canadian-registered Gulfstream G100 air ambulance, tail number C-GRJP, operated by Latitude Air Ambulance, went missing with six people on board during a medical flight from Bermuda to Boston, triggering a major search and rescue operation off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Essential Background

Latitude Air Ambulance is an Ontario-based company that provides specialized medical evacuation and repatriation services globally. Their fleet includes Gulfstream G100 jets, which are configured for intensive care medical transport and staffed by highly trained medical professionals and pilots. Medical air transport flights, such as those between Bermuda and Boston, are a routine part of their operations.

The Full Story

On Saturday, October 3, 2026, a Latitude Air Ambulance Gulfstream G100 jet, registered as C-GRJP, departed from L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda, heading for Boston Logan International Airport. The aircraft was undertaking a medical evacuation mission with six individuals on board: two Canadian pilots, two Canadian medical staff, a patient, and a patient's relative. As the jet approached Boston, air traffic controllers lost contact around 1:20 a.m. ET, minutes before its scheduled arrival. Flight tracking data indicates a rapid descent of approximately 12,500 feet within three minutes—from 23,500 feet to 11,000 feet—before its final radar signal was recorded off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Following the loss of contact, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a search and rescue alert, prompting the U.S. Coast Guard to launch an extensive air and sea search operation in the Atlantic Ocean, south of Nantucket. This incident marks the first time Latitude Air Ambulance has lost contact with one of its aircraft.

Why It Matters

The disappearance of the air ambulance has generated significant concern due to the unknown fate of the six individuals, including essential medical personnel, pilots, and a vulnerable patient and their relative. This event underscores the inherent risks associated with critical medical air transport services, even when provided by specialized operators with trained crews. The ongoing search and rescue efforts by the U.S. Coast Guard and FAA are a high-priority operation, attracting international attention to the vital role of these emergency services and the rigorous safety standards governing them. The reported rapid loss of altitude prior to contact being lost suggests potential mechanical or other critical failures, which will be a key focus of any subsequent investigations.

Geographic Location

• L.F. Wade International Airport, St. George's Parish, Bermuda (departure location of the missing aircraft)
• Atlantic Ocean, south of Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts, United States (area where contact was lost and search and rescue operations are focused)
• John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (base of Latitude Air Ambulance)
• Boston Logan International Airport, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States (intended destination of the missing aircraft)