ISLAMABAD, July 8 Pakistani rescue teams searched the Arabian Sea on Wednesday after a Boeing cargo plane carrying five crew members disappeared enroute to Karachi, prompting a major search and rescue operation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered authorities to accelerate efforts to locate the 27 year old converted freighter, which lost contact with air traffic control after reporting a navigational system problem.
K2 Airways, the aircraft’s operator, said the crew consisted of two pilots, two engineers and one support staff member. Authorities have not officially confirmed their status, although Sharif expressed his “heartfelt condolences” to the families of those on board.
According to flight tracking service Flightradar24, the aircraft may have crashed into the Arabian Sea southwest of Karachi after making a series of sharp altitude changes before entering a steep final descent.
The Pakistan Airports Authority said multiple government agencies had launched a coordinated search and rescue mission. K2 Airways said it was cooperating closely with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant authorities. Boeing has not yet commented on the incident.
Last Contact Before Disappearance
The aircraft reported a navigational system issue at 9:18 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time (1618 GMT) while flying toward Karachi, according to the Pakistan Airports Authority.
Air traffic controllers attempted to guide the crew, but within three minutes radar showed the aircraft descending rapidly before communication was lost.
At the time contact was lost, the aircraft was approximately 155 nautical miles (287 kilometres) west of Karachi.
Flight Data Shows Dramatic Altitude Changes
Flightradar24 data indicates the aircraft’s final moments were highly irregular.
The plane reportedly plunged about 5,000 feet in less than one minute, then climbed approximately 6,000 feet within 30 seconds, before entering what appeared to be a catastrophic dive from 36,550 feet.
The final transmitted data placed the aircraft at 1,100 feet above sea level, with a vertical descent rate of minus 22,400 feet per minute, equivalent to roughly 400 kilometres per hour, an extremely steep and abnormal rate of descent.
Aircraft History
The missing aircraft is a Boeing 737 400, a model that is two generations older than the Boeing 737 MAX, which has faced intense safety scrutiny in recent years.
The aircraft is powered by engines manufactured by CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and France’s Safran.
Originally delivered as a passenger aircraft to Russia’s Aeroflot in 1999, the plane was converted into a freighter in 2012, according to Flightradar24.
It is the only aircraft operated by K2 Airways and entered service with the airline in 2024. Flight tracking records show its previous flight took place on June 28.
Pakistan’s First Major Air Disaster Since 2020
If confirmed as a fatal crash, the incident would mark Pakistan’s first deadly aviation accident since 2020, when a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320 crashed short of the runway while attempting to land in Karachi, killing 97 people.
Source: Reuters
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