The Boeing 737 cargo plane that went missing after experiencing operational issues has been found. The plane’s wreckage was located off the coast of Pakistan, in the Arabian Sea. A search continues for the five crew members working on board the plane, all of whom are still missing.
Recovering the Wreckage
On Tuesday, July 8, a Boeing 737 jet bound for Pakistan experienced a series of unavoidable and hazardous altitude changes, and went missing due to operational issues. The private cargo plane had been bound for Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, from Sharjah in the U.A.E. After the aircraft was observed descending rapidly on radar, a navigational system issue was reported to ground staff, who then attempted to guide the aircraft. Shortly after, air traffic controllers lost contact with the crew at 21:21 local time (16:21 UTC). The Boeing 737 jet was operated by K2 Airways, a private cargo airline based in Pakistan that operates scheduled and charter flights both in domestic and international capacities.
According to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), the country’s navy and maritime rescue agency reported they had successfully located and identified wreckage of K2 Airways cargo B737 following a 12 hour search. The private cargo plane’s wreckage was recovered 53 nautical miles from Ormara, a port town in Balochistan, Pakistan. Located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, Ormara is 223 miles west from the aircraft’s intended destination of Karachi.
The PAA additionally published, on July 9, a series of images of the wreckage. In the pictures, recovery personnel lift pieces of the aircraft’s fuselage from a small boat on to a large vessel. On one of the pieces of debris, the red, white, and black branding for “K2 Air” can be seen laid out on the large ship’s deck.
The Search Continues
The PAA asserted that efforts are being made to locate the plane’s five crew members, who remain unaccounted for. To support the search, both navy and merchant vessels in addition to military aircraft assets are being mobilised.
In a statement released prior to the plane wreckage being found, Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s prime minister, voiced his condolences, expressing that he felt:
“Deep sorrow, grief and regret over the tragic incident.”
Over the past decade, Pakistan’s aviation sector has experienced a mixed history of successes and losses, including a handful of deadly plane crashes and a four year ban on Pakistan’s national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, using EU airspace. This ban was issued as a result of safety and licensing concerns, but was lifted in 2024.
Karachi has especially been the site of fatal accidents. For example, a domestic passenger flight was the centre of a major aviation incident in the city in 2020. In that incident, onboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane, all but two of the 99 people aboard were killed as it approached Karachi Jinah International Airport (KHI).
Our thoughts are with those affected by this incident. For more updates on incidents like this, follow Travel Radar.
