Photo: PARK JI-HWAN / AFP / Getty Images
Pakistani authorities have located the wreckage of a K2 Airways Boeing 737 cargo plane that disappeared off the coast of Karachi on Tuesday (July 7) after losing contact with air traffic control. The aircraft, carrying five crew members, was en route from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi when it reported a navigation system problem at 9:18 p.m. local time, according to the Pakistan Airports Authority.
Radar data showed the plane rapidly descended and made a sharp heading change at 9:21 p.m., about 155 nautical miles west of Karachi, before vanishing from radar and losing radio contact. The Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency launched a search-and-rescue operation at sea, eventually locating and identifying the wreckage approximately 53 nautical miles south of Ormara, a port city on the Arabian coast.
Flight tracking data revealed the plane dropped in altitude, briefly climbed, and then plunged at a rate of 22,400 feet per minute—a speed much higher than the typical descent rate for airliners. Three minutes before contact was lost, the crew had reported a navigational system issue and was receiving guidance from Karachi air traffic control.
Officials deployed multiple assets, including a Pakistan Navy frigate, aircraft from the Pakistan Air Force, and a merchant vessel from the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation. The Rescue Coordination Center was also activated to assist in the effort.
K2 Airways, a Karachi-based private cargo airline established in 2018, confirmed the aircraft carried a pilot, first officer, load master, and two engineers. The company stated it is cooperating fully with government agencies investigating the incident and expressed concern for the safety of its crew. The Boeing 737, registered as AP-BOI, had been converted to a freighter in 2011 and was the only airplane in the airline's fleet.
Aviation experts said the abrupt loss of altitude was unusual, as aircraft usually continue gliding even after engine failure. Authorities are expected to continue investigating the cause of the crash, while families of the missing crew await further information.
The last major aviation accident in Pakistan occurred in 2020, when a passenger jet crashed near Karachi airport, resulting in 98 deaths.