Pakistan Cargo Plane Wreckage Found In Arabian Sea; 5 Crew Still Missing

The wreckage of a K2 Airways cargo Boeing 737 has reportedly been found in the Arabian Sea after the aircraft went missing while flying to Karachi, according to reports citing Pakistan’s Airports Authority. Search teams are still trying to locate the five crew members who remain unaccounted for.

The debris was reportedly found around 53 nautical miles south of Ormara port following a nearly 12-hour search involving the Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force and civilian rescue agencies.

The cargo aircraft had taken off from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday evening and reportedly informed air traffic control about a navigational system malfunction shortly before contact was lost.

Aircraft Lost Contact Before Reaching Karachi

According to reports, radar data showed the aircraft making a sudden change in direction before it began losing altitude rapidly.

The aircraft reportedly lost both radio and radar contact at around 9:21 pm local time, nearly 155 nautical miles west of Karachi.

Following the incident, Pakistani authorities launched a large search-and-rescue operation in the Arabian Sea. The operation reportedly involved Pakistan Navy frigate PNS Zulfiqar, naval surveillance aircraft, Pakistan Air Force planes and merchant vessels.

Five Crew Members Remain Unaccounted For

K2 Airways reportedly said that all five people on board are still unaccounted for and that the airline is cooperating with Pakistani authorities.

The missing crew members have been identified as:

• Capt. Muhammad Rizwan Idris
• First Officer Faisal Jatoi
• Flight Engineer Muhammad Hamid
• Flight Engineer Muhammad Arif Siddiqui
• Aircraft Loader Muhammad Taufiq Khan

In a statement, the airline reportedly said, “We continue to pray earnestly for the safety of our colleagues.”

Reports also said Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sympathy for the families of the missing crew members and directed authorities to use all available resources to continue the search.

Probe Expected Into The Incident

While the aircraft had reported a navigational system malfunction before disappearing, the exact reason behind the incident remains unclear.

According to reports, aviation analyst Imran Aslam told ARY News that even in the event of an engine failure, an aircraft would normally continue gliding instead of descending rapidly. He said investigators will examine the recovered wreckage to determine what led to the incident.

Pakistan has witnessed several major aviation accidents in recent years, including the 2020 Pakistan International Airlines crash near Karachi that killed 97 people. The investigation into that crash later blamed pilot and air traffic control errors.