Pakistani rescuers find wreckage of lost cargo plane; search on for missing crew

Pakistani rescuers have located the wreckage of a K2 Airways Boeing 737 cargo plane that went missing off the coast of Karachi. The discovery was made approximately 12 hours after the aircraft disappeared while en route to Karachi, prompting an intensive search operation.

The wreckage was recovered 98 kilometers south of the Ormara port. The Pakistan Navy and Maritime Security Agency deployed various air and sea assets in the search for the five crew members – two pilots, two engineers, and one support staffer – who were on board. Authorities have not yet confirmed the status of the crew, though Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences to their families.

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various air and sea borne assets

According to flight-tracking service Flightradar24, the plane may have crashed after a series of sharp altitude changes followed by a steep final descent. The aircraft, a 27-year-old converted freighter, had reported a navigational system problem at 9:18 PM local time. Air traffic control attempted to guide the plane, but communication was lost three minutes later as radar systems showed a rapid descent.

Flight data indicated chaotic final moments, with the plane plunging significantly before a rapid ascent and then entering a catastrophic dive. The 737-400 model is several generations older than the newer 737 MAX. K2 Airways stated that this was their only aircraft, having entered service with the carrier in 2024 after being converted from a passenger plane in 2012. This incident marks Pakistan's first fatal aviation crash since 2020.

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heartfelt condolences