Debris from a Canadian-registered air ambulance jet that disappeared while flying from Bermuda to Boston has been found off the coast of Massachusetts, the United States Coast Guard said.

The Gulfstream aircraft was carrying six people, including four crew members and two passengers, when it departed Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport early Saturday. The Coast Guard said one of its cutters would continue searching overnight and into Sunday for those on board.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration alerted the Coast Guard after losing contact with the aircraft during its flight toward Boston.

The debris field was located near Nantucket Island and was confirmed to be associated with the missing aircraft, according to the Coast Guard.

Canada’s Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said four Canadians were aboard the aircraft and that Canadian authorities were closely monitoring the search and rescue operation. The remaining two people were Bermudian nationals.

The aircraft was operated by Latitude Air Ambulance. Flight tracking data showed that it departed Bermuda at 12:41 a.m. local time, or 3:41 a.m. GMT.

According to FlightAware data, the aircraft flew at approximately 24,000 feet for much of its journey before descending sharply by about 13,000 feet in roughly two minutes shortly before air traffic controllers lost contact.

Search and rescue teams were continuing operations in the waters near Nantucket as authorities worked to locate the six people aboard.

The cause of the aircraft’s disappearance was not immediately known. Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the loss of contact and the aircraft’s rapid descent.