A K2 Airways Boeing 737 cargo plane vanished over the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, prompting an extensive search and rescue operation. The aircraft, en route from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Karachi, Pakistan, lost contact with air traffic control approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi.
Radar data indicated the plane experienced a sudden loss of altitude, followed by a climb and then a rapid, dramatic descent, according to Flightradar24.com. The pilot's final transmission reportedly included an alarm that the plane was "rolling or floating," with "rolling" referring to a phase of flight and "floating" indicating a potential landing error.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed the aircraft had crashed into the Arabian Sea and offered condolences to the families of the five crew members. He directed the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, navy, and airforce to intensify search and rescue efforts using all available resources. Both navy and merchant vessels, along with military aircraft, are participating in the operation.
The cause of the incident remains unknown, and the aircraft has not yet been located. The crew had reported a navigation system issue around 9:18 p.m. local time, shortly before contact was lost at approximately 9:21 p.m.
K2 Airways, a private cargo airline based in Pakistan, stated it is cooperating with authorities. The airline identified the five crew members and expressed prayers for their safety. The missing aircraft, manufactured in 1999, previously served as a passenger plane for Aeroflot and Garuda Indonesia before being converted to a cargo configuration in 2012. It entered service with K2 Airways, which operates the plane as its only aircraft, in 2024.
If casualties are confirmed, this would mark Pakistan's first fatal air crash since 2020, when Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303 crashed near Karachi, resulting in 97 fatalities. That incident occurred when pilots were reportedly distracted by discussions about the coronavirus during a flawed landing attempt.