An urgent search operation is underway for a Boeing 737 cargo aircraft with five crew members onboard that lost contact with air traffic control suddenly on Tuesday evening.
The plane, registered in Pakistan, raised an alert about a navigational system problem while en route from the United Arab Emirates to Karachi, Pakistan, before experiencing a rapid descent and radio silence.
Analysis of Flightradar24 tracking data reveals a startling sequence of events: a steep drop of approximately 5,000 feet in less than a minute, followed by a swift climb of 6,000 feet in just half a minute, culminating in a dive from an altitude of 36,550 feet.
The latest data transmission pinpointed the aircraft at 1,100 feet above sea level with a vertical descent rate of minus 22,400 feet per minute – equivalent to around 400 kilometers per hour – an exceptionally steep and irregular rate of decline.
Anthony Brickhouse, an expert in aerospace safety consultancy, highlighted the extreme nature of these maneuvers, cautioning that it is premature to draw conclusions without further data.
According to Imran Aslam, an aviation specialist interviewed by ARY News, the cause of the plane disappearing from radar remains unclear. Even in the event of engine failure, aircraft typically glide rather than plummet abruptly. Aslam expressed bewilderment at the sudden descent.
A coordinated search and rescue effort, involving multiple agencies, is underway at sea to locate the missing plane, confirmed the Pakistan Airports Authority.
The missing aircraft is a Boeing 737-400, a model dating back several decades. Initially operated as a passenger plane by Russia’s Aeroflot in 1999, it was later converted into a freighter in 2012. This specific aircraft is the sole asset of K2 Airways and was commissioned into service by the carrier in 2024.
K2 Airways released a statement naming the crew members aboard the cargo plane that went off the radar during its Sharjah to Karachi journey, expressing full cooperation with authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operations.
The Pakistan Aerospace Council extended its sympathies to the crew and their families as the search mission persists for the missing aircraft, emphasizing solidarity with K2 Airways during this challenging period.
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