A Boeing 737 converted freighter has vanished off the coast of Pakistan after losing contact with air traffic control, sparking a search-and-rescue operation in the Arabian Sea. The aircraft, operated by Karachi-based K2 Airways, was carrying five people on a cargo flight from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to the Pakistani capital, Karachi.
The disappearance was announced by Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority on X, stating that search-and-rescue operations were underway. The 27-year-old aircraft reported an issue with its navigation system at 9.18pm local time, according to the authority. Radar data then indicated a rapid descent and a sharp change in direction around 9.21pm, before both radar and radio contact were lost approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi.
Steep Descent and Loss of Contact
Data from flight tracking website Flightradar24 showed the aircraft initially losing altitude, then briefly climbing, followed by another dramatic plunge. The last transmitted data point located the aircraft at 1,100 feet above sea level, with a vertical rate of minus 22,400 feet per minute, as reported by Reuters news agency. This represents an extraordinarily steep and abnormal rate of descent. The plane is thought to have plummeted roughly 35,000 feet in less than two minutes, based on tracking data.
K2 Airways is a private Pakistani cargo airline headquartered at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. Established in 2017, the airline operates scheduled and charter freight services, primarily linking domestic hubs and regional international destinations. The missing aircraft is K2 Airways' sole aircraft and began operating with the carrier in 2024.
Aircraft History and Background
The aircraft is a Boeing 737-400, originally delivered as a passenger plane to Russia's Aeroflot in 1999. It was converted into a freighter in 2012. The plane is one of Boeing's decades-old 737s, and its disappearance has raised questions about the safety of older converted freighters.
Officials have only verified that the crew reported a navigation system malfunction shortly before contact was lost. There is presently no established cause of the disappearance. Investigators will scrutinize flight data, communications, and any debris recovered before determining what occurred.
Potential Fatalities and Historical Context
If fatalities are confirmed, the incident would mark the first deadly crash in Pakistan since 2020, when a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320 went down short of the runway in Karachi, killing 97 people. The current search-and-rescue operation is focused on the Arabian Sea, where the aircraft is believed to have gone down.
