What we know about an Ontario air ambulance that went missing off U.S. coast with 6 on board

What we know about an Ontario air ambulance that went missing off U.S. coast with 6 on board

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson confirmed that debris found off the coast of Nantucket, Mass., was "associated" with the missing aircraft.

The spokesperson said the Coast Guard could not yet comment on the nature of the debris, but said the association was confirmed by "using precise information about the aircraft from other agencies," without providing more detail.

Search for six missing people will continue, the Coast Guard said.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to search for an air ambulance jet with six people on board, including four Canadians, that went missing in the early hours of Saturday.

The Gulfstream G100 jet operated by Latitude Air Ambulance, a Hamilton-based company, was traveling from Bermuda to Boston when it lost contact with air traffic controllers at around 1:30 a.m.

The U.S. Coast Guard's northeast district has deployed a fleet of air and marine assets to search for the missing plane.

Not much is known yet about what happened before the jet lost contact. But a spokesperson for Nantucket Memorial Airport in Massachusetts said the airport was informed the aircraft had reportedly declared an emergency before losing contact.

The missing jet is one of four Gulfstream G100 jets registered to Latitude Air Ambulance, which works with global insurance companies, governments and other organizations to provide medical evacuation and repatriation services.

Joshua McNamara, a spokesperson for Ornge, which provides air ambulance services for Ontario's provincial health-care system, said the flight was not an air ambulance transport for Ontario.

Canadian officials have said they're monitoring the situation and are prepared to provide support as search and rescue efforts continue.

We're pausing live updates on this page for now but will be back with any major developments.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey told NBC News Saturday she hadn't been fully briefed on the situation.

"My thoughts and prayers go to all on board and all involved," she said. "We'll do whatever we can as a state to support efforts there."

Global Affairs Canada says it is aware of reports that Canadians who were aboard a Latitude Air Ambulance are missing.

"Consular officials stand ready to provide consular assistance and are in contact with local authorities," it said in a statement Saturday. "Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed."

Search ongoing for missing air ambulance jet carrying 4 Canadians

CBC's Sheehan Desjardins brings us the latest updates from on the ground in Hamilton, where Latitude Air Ambulance is based.

The U.S. Coast Guard appears to have "pulled out all the stops" in their search for the missing Latitude Air Ambulance plane, said John Gradek, a faculty lecturer in supply chain networks and aviation management at McGill University.

Gradek said rescuers are likely undertaking a gird search of about a hundred square miles based on the last reported position given from the aircraft's emergency locator transmitter, which helps rescuers find aircraft and people in distress.

"So they have a pretty good idea of the last reported position of this aircraft," he said.

Gradek said he doesn't think it will take very long for the coast guard to locate the missing plane.

"Usually, you know, in these types of situations with a fairly tight search pattern, they're able to find and resolve the state of the aircraft fairly quickly," Gradek said.

- With files from Philip Lee-Shanok

Based on flight data and official statements, here's what we know about the jet's path overnight.

Friday, 7:10 p.m. ET: Jet C-GRJP departs John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, according to Flightradar24.

9:28 p.m. ET: Flight lands at Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport.

11:41 p.m. ET: Flight departs from Bermuda and heads to Logan International Airport in Boston, with an estimated arrival time of 1:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.

Saturday, approximately 1 a.m. ET: The jet goes from 24,000 feet in the air down to 11,000 feet before stabilizing again, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.

1:20 a.m. ET: The Federal Aviation Administration issues a search and rescue alert notice for the jet.

Around 1:30 a.m. ET: Latitude was tracking the flight and lost contact. The company reaches out to the U.S. Coast Guard.

6:15 a.m. ET: The Coast Guard says on social media it is looking for the Gulfstream G100 jet off the coast of Nantucket, Mass.

11:46 a.m. ET: Search is ongoing with five air and marine assets taking part in the search, said the Coast Guard.

Nantucket Memorial Airport spokesperson Preston Harimon said in a statement Saturday the airport, which is located in Massachusetts, was informed the aircraft had reportedly declared an emergency before it lost contact.

“Details regarding the circumstances of the incident remain unconfirmed,” Harimon said. “Nantucket Memorial Airport will not speculate on the cause of the event.”

The airport added search and rescue efforts are being carried out by the United States Coast Guard.

“Search efforts continued overnight and remain ongoing,” Harimon said.

When the plane failed to reach the tarmac, Latitude reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard, company spokesperson Togeretz said.

Togeretz said the company is "dealing with the situation with as much positivity and optimism as we can."

"We're praying for a safe outcome," he said.

He said this is the first time Latitude Air Ambulance has lost contact with one of its planes.

Joshua McNamara, a spokesperson for Ornge, which provides air ambulance services for Ontario's provincial health-care system, said the company was "deeply concerned" by reports of the missing Latitude Air Ambulance flight.

The flight was not an air ambulance transport for Ontario and not related to Ornge operations, he told CBC News in an emailed statement.

"Our thoughts are with the crew, passengers, their families and everyone at Latitude Air Ambulance during this difficult time," he said.

"We remain hopeful that the aircraft and all those on board are located safely and quickly."

The missing jet is one of four Gulfstream G100 jets registered in Hamilton-based company, Latitude Air Ambulance.

While the company operates out of Hamilton, its website states that Latitude's scope of work extends outside the country as "an international medevac provider" to bring "patients home from anywhere in the world."

It states the company works with global insurance companies, governments and other organizations to provide medical evacuation and repatriation services for hundreds of people every year.

"Each air ambulance flight is staffed with two pilots and medical team members that are fully trained and qualified to provide the necessary care to each patient," Latitude's website reads.

"We have flown to over 120 countries and all continents except Antarctica."

Latitude's medical staff, which includes fully licensed physicians and registered nurses, is chosen to meet each patient's specific needs, it says.

The company said the G100 jet is one of the longest range dedicated medevac aircrafts in North America, which can travel over 5,000 kilometres in range.