K2 Airways Cargo 737 Missing Off Karachi Coast, Search Underway

‍KARACHI — Pakistani authorities have launched a search-and-rescue operation after a K2 Airways cargo flight carrying five crew members lost contact over the Arabian Sea while en route from Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) to Karachi Jinnah International Airport (KHI).

The Boeing 737-400 freighter, operating as KTA1732, reported a navigation-system issue at approximately 9:18 p.m. local time before rapidly descending, changing heading, and losing radar and radio contact about 155 nautical miles west of Karachi, according to Pakistan’s airport authority.

Authorities have not confirmed a crash site or located wreckage.

Search Assets Deployed

Pakistan’s Rescue Coordination Center has activated a multi-agency search involving military and civilian assets.

The Pakistan Navy diverted the frigate PNS Zulfiqar toward the last known area, while a Navy ATR aircraft, Pakistan Air Force assets, and a Pakistan National Shipping Corporation vessel have also joined the search, officials said.

The missing aircraft was identified as AP-BOI, a Boeing 737-4M0(BDSF) freighter operated by Karachi-based K2 Airways. The aircraft had been scheduled to arrive in Karachi from Sharjah on Tuesday evening.

Flight Data Shows Sudden Final Descent

Flightradar24 said preliminary ADS-B information showed the aircraft first losing altitude, then climbing, before entering a second, steep descent. The final received data point was recorded at 16:21 UTC, when the aircraft was at 1,100 feet above mean sea level with a reported vertical rate of minus 22,400 feet per minute.

That information is consistent with a serious emergency, but flight-tracking data alone does not establish a cause or confirm an accident. Investigators will need to determine whether the reported navigation issue, other technical factors, weather, operational circumstances, or another cause played a role.

A Young Cargo Operator

K2 Airways is a Karachi-based cargo carrier that began operating in Pakistan in 2018. The airline uses Boeing 737 freighters for domestic and regional cargo work, positioning itself as a dedicated logistics operator in a market largely served by passenger-airline belly cargo and ad hoc charter services.

The incident comes as the aviation community awaits further information from Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority, the airline, and search-and-rescue agencies.

For now, the confirmed facts are limited: KTA1732 failed to reach Karachi as scheduled, contact was lost west of the city, and a search is under way for the aircraft and its five crew members.

July 8 Update:

PN and PMSA after 12 hours of Search & Rescue operations in deep Sea have located and identified wreckage of K2 Airways Cargo B737 which was declared missing last night. The wreckage was recovered from 53 NM South of ORMARA.