Coast Guard finds debris from medical plane carrying 6 people

The U.S. Coast Guard says it has deployed a helicopter, like this one pictured in July, as well as two search and rescue planes and a motor lifeboat to search for the plane that disappeared Saturday off the coast of Massachusetts. Heather Diehl/Getty Images hide caption

The U.S. Coast Guard says searchers have found debris off Nantucket, Mass., from a Canadian air ambulance that was carrying six people traveling from Bermuda to Boston when it disappeared early Saturday.

The Gulfstream G100 had been carrying two Bermudans and four Canadians and their next of kin have been notified, according to the Coast Guard, which said it is continuing to search for those on board.

Flight data shows the jet dropped at least 9,000 feet over two minutes, then leveled off for several more minutes, before disappearing. The pilot declared an emergency, according to Nantucket Memorial Airport. During an exchange, air traffic control asked the pilot of the air ambulance, "You're coming in blind?"

A fire rescue dispatcher warned emergency crews to prepare for the planes' arrival. She said it was 15 minutes away, suffering from electrical issues and had lost radio and radar, according to audio on Broadcastify and reviewed by The Boston Glob e.

The Coast Guard has deployed two search and rescue planes as well as a helicopter and a motor lifeboat.

The plane is operated by Latitude Air Ambulance, based in Ontario, Canada. The company website says it has run thousands of missions since 2009 returning patients and loved ones to their families back home. The firm boasts "a flawless safety record."

The website says the air ambulances are staffed by two pilots and a medical team and include a stretcher as well as full ICU medical equipment and supplies.