Cargo Plane wreckage has been located in the Arabian Sea after a K2 Airways Boeing 737 freighter disappeared while flying from Sharjah to Karachi, as rescue teams continue searching for the five crew members who remain missing.
The Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency confirmed they identified the aircraft’s wreckage about 53 nautical miles south of Ormara after nearly 12 hours of coordinated search and rescue operations. Recovery efforts remain underway at the site.
The Boeing 737 cargo aircraft, operating as Flight TA1732, lost contact with Karachi air traffic control at 9:21 p.m. on Tuesday while approaching Karachi. Aviation officials said the crew had reported a navigation system malfunction three minutes earlier, prompting controllers to provide guidance in an effort to help the aircraft reach its destination safely.
Radar data showed the aircraft unexpectedly changed course before entering a rapid descent. Flight tracking information indicated it dropped from its cruising altitude of 35,000 feet to about 1,100 feet within minutes before disappearing from radar over the Arabian Sea.
Officials said the crew did not issue a Mayday distress call, suggesting the emergency developed rapidly and left little time to respond.
The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority activated its emergency response centre immediately after losing contact with the aircraft. The operation involved the Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and merchant vessels.
Naval ships PNS Zulfiqar and PNS Hunain joined the search alongside a Pakistan Air Force Saab surveillance aircraft and a Pakistan Navy ATR aircraft operating from Turbat.
The Civil Aviation Authority identified the missing crew members as Captain Muhammad Rizwan Idris, First Officer Faisal Jatoi, Flight Engineer Muhammad Hamid, Flight Engineer Muhammad Arif Siddiqui and Loadmaster Muhammad Taufiq Khan.
K2 Airways also confirmed the loss of communication with the aircraft and released the names of the crew in a separate statement.
Authorities have sealed the airline’s office at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport to preserve operational records while investigators begin collecting evidence. Officials said they will launch a full investigation into the cause of the crash after recovery operations conclude.
The Pakistan Navy said it will release further updates as search and rescue efforts continue.
