Pakistan launches search after cargo Boeing 737 disappears over Arabian Sea
A Karachi-based cargo Boeing 737 vanished on a flight from Sharjah to Karachi, prompting a multi-agency search operation as authorities investigate the loss of contact and a distress call from the pilot.
A Boeing 737 operated by K2 Airways disappeared on a cargo flight from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, to Karachi, Pakistan, on Tuesday night. Radar data showed the aircraft abruptly lost altitude, briefly climbed, and then descended sharply before making a sharp turn, after which contact was lost at about 9:21 p.m. local time, roughly 155 nautical miles west of Karachi.
The pilot’s final transmission indicated the aircraft was experiencing a “rolling or floating” condition, suggesting a possible loss of control or navigation system issue reported at 9:18 p.m. Preliminary flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed a pattern of altitude loss, a brief climb, and a second rapid descent, leading analysts to suspect a crash into the Arabian Sea.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the plane likely crashed into the sea and expressed condolences to the families of the five crew members. He directed the civil aviation authority, navy, and air force to intensify search and rescue efforts, deploying naval and merchant vessels as well as military aircraft.
K2 Airways confirmed cooperation with Pakistani authorities and identified the five crew members, stating the airline continues to pray for their safety. The aircraft, built in 1999 and converted to a cargo configuration in 2012, had previously served as a passenger plane for Aeroflot and Garuda Indonesia.