A cargo aircraft traveling from Sharjah to Karachi is feared to have crashed into the Arabian Sea after losing contact with air traffic control (ATC), prompting a large-scale search and rescue operation involving multiple military and maritime agencies.
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According to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), the K-2 Airways Boeing 737 cargo plane lost communication with air traffic controllers at approximately 9:21 pm Pakistan Standard Time while flying around 155 nautical miles west of Karachi. Officials said the aircraft is believed to have gone down near Ormara, roughly 300 kilometers from Karachi.
The aircraft was carrying five crew members, including Captain Rizwan Idrees and First Officer Faisal Mahmood. No passengers were on board. Authorities have not yet confirmed the fate of the crew, and rescue teams continue to search the area for possible survivors or wreckage.
The PAA said the flight had reported a technical malfunction in its navigation system before communication was lost. Air traffic controllers immediately provided guidance to the pilots, but the aircraft reportedly began losing altitude within minutes. Officials added that the plane made a sudden change in direction shortly before all contact was severed.
Following the emergency, the Rescue Coordination Centre activated a joint search and rescue mission involving the Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force and other maritime agencies. Naval warship PNS Zulfiqar has been dispatched to the suspected crash site, while a Pakistan Air Force Saab airborne early warning and control aircraft launched from Bholari Airbase is assisting in the aerial search.
A Pakistan Navy ATR aircraft operating from Turbat has also joined the operation, alongside the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation oil tanker MT Lahore, which has been diverted to support the maritime search effort.
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Authorities said the investigation into the incident will begin once the aircraft is located. Officials have urged the public to rely on verified information as rescue teams continue efforts to determine the aircraft’s fate and locate the missing crew.