A K2 Airways Boeing 737 cargo plane disappeared off the coast of Pakistan on Tuesday evening, prompting a search for its five crew members. The aircraft was en route to Karachi from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, when it lost contact around 9:21 p.m. local time.
Wreckage was discovered Wednesday approximately 53 miles south of Ormara, Pakistan, and the search for the missing crew continued into Thursday.
The identified crew members are Capt. Muhammad Rizwan Idris, First Officer Faisal Jatoi, flight engineers Muhammad Hamid and Muhammad Arif Siddiqui, and aircraft loader Muhammad Taufiq Khan. The airline, K2 Airways, released the names in a Facebook post.
Ghulam Nabi Bahrani, the father-in-law of co-pilot Faisal Jatoi, told The Associated Press that Jatoi had spoken with his wife shortly before departing the UAE. "All we can do is wait and pray for a miracle," Bahrani stated.
Pakistan's Airports Authority confirmed that military and civilian teams, utilizing ships and aircraft, located plane wreckage in the Arabian Sea after about 12 hours of searching. The agency stated that efforts are underway to find the crew members and that further details would be provided as the operation progresses.
Shortly before losing contact, the crew reported a "navigation system problem." Radar data indicated the aircraft was descending rapidly before it disappeared from radar.
The Boeing 737-400 freighter, which is approximately 27 years old, is the only aircraft operated by K2 Airways, an airline established in 2018. The airline issued a statement expressing its prayers for the safety of its colleagues.
The Pakistan Navy deployed the frigate PNS Zulfiqar, and the Pakistan Air Force dispatched aircraft to assist in the search and rescue operation.