A Pakistan-registered Boeing 737 cargo aircraft operated by K2 Airways has disappeared from radar over the Arabian Sea while en route to Karachi. The plane, carrying five crew members, reported a malfunction in its navigation system before losing contact with air traffic control.
The 27-year-old freighter, originally a passenger aircraft converted for cargo use, departed from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday night when the incident occurred. Following the loss of communication, a coordinated search and rescue mission involving multiple state agencies was launched to locate the missing plane and its crew.
The aircraft first reported technical difficulties with its navigation system at 9:18 pm Pakistan Standard Time (1618 GMT). Despite efforts by local air traffic controllers to assist, radar data showed the plane descending rapidly three minutes later, after which all communication was lost. At the time of the last transmission, the plane was approximately 155 nautical miles (287 kilometers) southwest of Karachi.
Flight tracking data revealed a turbulent final sequence: the plane dropped about 5,000 feet in under a minute, then climbed roughly 6,000 feet within 30 seconds, before entering a severe dive from an altitude of 36,550 feet. The last recorded altitude was just 1,100 feet above sea level, with an extreme vertical descent rate of approximately 22,400 feet per minute, equivalent to nearly 400 kilometers per hour.
K2 Airways confirmed its full cooperation with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant government bodies. The airline expressed hope and prayers for the safety of its crew members. Aerospace safety expert Anthony Brickhouse remarked that while the erratic flight data is highly unusual, it is premature to draw conclusions without a detailed investigation.
The missing aircraft is a Boeing 737-400, part of an older generation preceding the 737 MAX series, powered by CFM International engines. Initially delivered to Russia’s Aeroflot in 1999 as a passenger plane, it was converted into a freighter in 2012 and became K2 Airways’ sole aircraft in 2024. Prior to this flight, the plane had not been in operation since June 28.
If confirmed, this would be Pakistan’s first fatal aviation accident since the 2020 crash of a Pakistan International Airlines passenger jet in Karachi.
