A K2 Airways Boeing 737-400 cargo aircraft carrying five crew members vanished over the Arabian Sea off the coast of Karachi on Tuesday night.
The Pakistan Airports Authority reported that the freighter lost radar contact and communication at 9:21 p. m.
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local time, approximately 287 kilometers west of Karachi.
The aircraft was en route from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, to Karachi.
Minutes before the disappearance, the flight crew contacted the Karachi Area Control Centre at 9:18 p. m.
to report a navigational system issue and requested assistance.
The missing aircraft, registered as AP-BOI, entered service with the Karachi-based private carrier in 2024.
It originally served as a passenger jet for Aeroflot in 1999 and Garuda Indonesia in 2004.
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Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 noted that the aircraft faced global navigation satellite system interference near Sharjah shortly after takeoff, which initially degraded its navigation data.
According to preliminary ADS-B data, the aircraft experienced an altitude loss, followed by a climb, and then a final dramatic descent recorded at a vertical rate of -22,400 feet per minute before data ceased at 1,100 feet above mean sea level.
Search and Rescue Efforts
A massive search and rescue operation has commenced.
The Pakistan Airports Authority confirmed that the national Rescue Coordination Centre has been activated, drawing assets from various military arms including the navy and the air force.
K2 Airways released an official update on Wednesday, stating it is "fully cooperating with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies."
The carrier expressed deep concern for the flight crew. "We continue to pray, earnestly, for the safety of our colleagues," the airline said.
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The Bureau of Air Safety Investigation has been assigned to determine the underlying cause of the incident once the aircraft is located.
