Pakistan has launched a major search and rescue operation after a K2 Airways cargo aircraft carrying five crew members disappeared off the coast of Karachi late Tuesday night. The Boeing 737 freighter was flying from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Karachi when it lost contact with air traffic control after reporting a navigation system problem.

According to the Pakistan Airports Authority, the crew informed controllers about a navigational system issue at 9:18 pm Pakistan Standard Time. Air traffic controllers attempted to assist the aircraft, but radar data indicated that it began descending rapidly around three minutes later before all communication was lost.

The last known position of the aircraft was about 155 nautical miles (287 km) west of Karachi in the Arabian Sea.

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Radar data shows unusual altitude changes

Flight tracking information released by Flightradar24 showed highly irregular movements in the aircraft’s final moments. The cargo plane reportedly dropped nearly 5,000 feet in less than a minute, then climbed approximately 6,000 feet within 30 seconds before entering what authorities described as a steep descent from an altitude of 36,550 feet.

The final transmitted data placed the aircraft at 1,100 feet above sea level, with a reported descent rate of minus 22,400 feet per minute, indicating an unusually sharp loss of altitude. The exact cause of the disappearance has not yet been determined.

Search and rescue operation underway

Following the loss of contact, Pakistan activated its Rescue Coordination Center and launched a large-scale search operation in the Arabian Sea.

Military and civilian agencies have been deployed for the mission. Officials said the Pakistan Navy frigate PNS Zulfiqar was diverted to the area where contact with the aircraft was lost. The Pakistan Air Force also dispatched aircraft, while a Pakistan Navy ATR aircraft departed from Turbat to assist in the search. A vessel from the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation has also joined the operation.

K2 Airways said it is fully cooperating with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies as the search continues.

Aviation expert raises questions over sudden descent 

Aviation expert Imran Aslam told local ARY News that the aircraft’s rapid disappearance from radar remains difficult to explain based on the information available so far. 

“I still cannot understand how the plane went down so abruptly instead of gliding.”

He noted that even if an aircraft experiences an engine failure, it would generally continue gliding rather than suddenly plunge.

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Aircraft history 

The missing aircraft was a Boeing 737-400 freighter, an older member of Boeing’s 737 family powered by CFM International engines, produced through a joint venture between GE Aerospace and France’s Safran.

According to Flightradar24, the aircraft was first delivered to Russia’s Aeroflot as a passenger jet in 1999 before being converted into a cargo aircraft in 2012. It entered service with Karachi-based K2 Airways in 2024 and was the airline’s only aircraft. Flight-tracking records show it had not operated any flights since June 28 before departing from Sharjah on its final journey.

FAQs:

Why did the K2 Airways cargo plane go missing near Karachi?

The aircraft reported a navigation system issue before radar showed a rapid descent, but the exact cause remains under investigation.

How many people were on board the missing K2 Airways plane?

The K2 Airways Boeing 737 cargo aircraft was carrying five crew members when it disappeared en route from Sharjah to Karachi.