Wreckage of missing K2 Airways cargo plane found off Pakistan coast

Wreckage of missing K2 Airways cargo plane found off Pakistan coast

Search and rescue teams have recovered wreckage from a K2 Airways Boeing 737 cargo plane that vanished over the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, July 7. The aircraft, which was traveling from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Karachi, Pakistan, disappeared after reporting a navigational system failure.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced on Wednesday, July 8, that debris was located more than 50 miles south of Ormara. According to other reports, the wreckage was recovered from 53 nautical miles south of the port town, which sits 360 kilometres west of Karachi. The discovery followed a 12-hour search operation involving the Pakistan Navy and civilian teams.

Five crew members remain missing. K2 Airways identified the personnel on board as pilot in command Mohammad Rizwan Idrees, first officer Faisal Mehmood, load master Muhammad Toufique Khan, and engineers Arif Siddiqui and Mohammad Hamid.

Final Moments and Flight Data

The aircraft reported a navigational system issue at 21:18 PST, at which point the Karachi Area Control Centre (ACC) began guiding the flight. However, at 21:21 PST, radar observed the aircraft rapidly descending and making a rapid heading change. Communication and radar contact were lost approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi.

Flightradar24 tracking data indicates a series of erratic altitude changes. The plane reportedly plunged about 5,000ft in less than a minute and surged back 6,000ft within 30 seconds before a dive from 36,550 feet. Data shows the aircraft was flying at 1,100ft above the sea at 16:21 UTC and descending at 22,400ft per minute.

The pilot's final transmission described the aircraft as rolling or floating. Aviation experts note that rolling describes a plane tilting side to side; if uncommanded, this may indicate structural damage, engine issues, severe turbulence, or flight control failure. The term floating typically refers to a plane staying airborne above a runway during landing due to ground effect or excessive speed.

Imran Aslam, an aviation expert, told ARY News that it remains unclear why the plane plunged so abruptly rather than gliding, which is the expected behavior during an engine failure.

Search Operation and Response

The search and rescue effort was coordinated through the Rescue Coordination Center, utilizing a variety of assets. The Pakistan Navy dispatched the frigate PNS Zulfiqar, and the Pakistan Air Force deployed aircraft, including a Navy ATR aircraft that took off from Turbat. A merchant vessel operated by the Pakistan National Shipping Corp. Also participated in the operation.

Officials noted that rough monsoon seas and a vast search area in the Arabian Sea created significant challenges for the crews. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow, grief, and regret over the incident and directed the government to deploy all available resources to the effort.

The Pakistan Aerospace Council (PAeC) stated it is closely monitoring reports and stands in solidarity with K2 Airways.

Aircraft History

The aircraft involved is a 27-year-old Boeing 737-400. According to tracking records, it was originally delivered as a passenger plane to Russia's Aeroflot in 1999 and later flew for Garuda Indonesia. In 2012, it was converted into a freighter for Belgium's TNT Airways.

The plane was withdrawn from service in June 2023 and parked in France for roughly 10 months. In April 2024, it was reactivated by the Irish company AerCap before being stored in Jakarta and then Karachi for nearly six months. It entered service with the Karachi-based K2 Airways in December 2024 and was the carrier's only aircraft.

The disappearance occurred shortly after PAA leadership had discussed safer flight operations at Karachi Airport with local authorities, including a directive from the Commissioner to improve sanitation around the airport to reduce bird hazards.

Investigators will now examine recovered wreckage, communications, and flight data to determine the cause of the crash.