Boeing cargo plane vanishes off Pakistan coast; search underway
What's the story
A cargo plane operated by K2 Airways and carrying five crew members went missing off the coast of Karachi, Pakistan, on Tuesday night. The Boeing 737 lost contact with air traffic control after reporting a navigational system problem. The aircraft was on its way from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, to Karachi when it disappeared over the Arabian Sea near Ormara in Balochistan.
Flight data
Plane experienced sharp altitude changes before final descent
The aircraft was about 155 nautical miles (287km) west of Karachi when it lost contact. Flightradar24, a flight-tracking service, reported that the plane experienced sharp altitude changes before a steep final descent. The last transmitted data point placed the aircraft at 1,100 feet above sea level with a vertical rate of minus 22,400 feet per minute, a steep and abnormal rate of descent.
Rescue efforts
Search and rescue operation launched
Authorities have launched a coordinated search and rescue operation at sea to locate the missing plane. The Pakistan Airports Authority announced the operation on Facebook, stating that various agencies are involved in the search effort. K2 Airways said it is fully cooperating with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies in this ongoing investigation.
Airline background
About K2 Airways
K2 Airways, a private cargo airline based in Karachi, was founded in 2018. The missing Boeing 737-400 was their only aircraft, which had entered service with the carrier in 2024 after being converted from a passenger jet originally operated by Russia's Aeroflot in 1999. The last major aviation incident in Pakistan occurred in 2020 when a Pakistan International Airlines flight crashed near Karachi airport, killing all but two of the 99 people on board.