A K2 Airways cargo flight carrying five crew members vanished over the Arabian Sea late Tuesday after losing radar contact. The Boeing 737-400 disappeared near Ormara, a port in the coastal region of Makran, while en route from Sharjah to Karachi, following reports of an navigational emergency.
The sequence of events began when the crew contacted the Karachi Area Control Centre (ACC) regarding technical difficulties. Despite receiving immediate guidance, the aircraft’s trajectory became erratic shortly after, marked by a sharp alteration in heading and a steep descent. While initial reports cited contact loss at 9:21pm, other aviation sources suggest communications were finally severed at 9:32pm.
According to FlightRadar24, the aircraft had encountered Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference shortly after departing Sharjah, which compromised its navigation systems.
The freighter had spent five days in Sharjah for repairs following a technical fault and was returning to Karachi as a ferry flight. Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B ) records show the aircraft experienced a volatile final flight path, with the last data point recording a vertical descent rate of -22,400 feet per minute at 1,100 feet above sea level.
In response, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) activated the Rescue Coordination Centre to oversee a multi-agency search operation. The search effort has been significantly bolstered by the Pakistan Air Force, which has deployed a SAAB surveillance aircraft, and the Pakistan Navy, which has dispatched an ATR aircraft alongside the warship PNS Zulfiqar to the area.
Furthermore, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation has directed its commercial vessel, the Lahore, to assist in the maritime search. The Bureau of Air Safety Investigation has launched an inquiry to determine the cause of the disappearance.
