Medical aircraft with six aboard vanishes off Massachusetts coast

A medical aircraft carrying six people disappeared from radar off the Massachusetts coast after losing communication with flight controllers, authorities said. The plane experienced a significant drop in altitude before contact was lost, according to flight data records reviewed by investigators.

The aircraft, which was conducting a medical transport mission, had been in regular contact with air traffic control when controllers detected the rapid descent on their radar systems. The sudden loss of altitude preceded the complete loss of radio communication, raising immediate concerns about the aircraft's condition.

Search and rescue teams were mobilized to the area where the aircraft was last detected. Maritime and air search operations focused on waters off the Massachusetts coast as authorities worked to locate any wreckage or survivors from the flight.

The circumstances surrounding the aircraft's descent remain under investigation. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the altitude loss or communications failure. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were expected to coordinate investigation efforts.