Pakistani authorities have recovered wreckage from the K2 Airways Boeing 737-400 freighter that disappeared over the Arabian Sea on July 7, although its five crew members remain missing.
The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said the wreckage was found about 53 nautical miles south of Ormara after a search operation lasting roughly 12 hours. The mission involved the Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, which continue to search the area for the missing crew.
Recent news
The aircraft, registered AP-BOI, was operating flight KTA1732 from Sharjah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. According to K2 Airways, the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control at approximately 21:21 local time.
Before communications were interrupted, the crew reported a navigation system malfunction. Radar data released by the PAA indicates the freighter then underwent a rapid descent accompanied by a sharp change in heading before disappearing from radar about 155 nautical miles west of Karachi.
Authorities have not confirmed the location of the main wreckage or the recovery of the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. The search is being conducted in waters reaching around 3,000 meters in depth, which could make any underwater recovery operation lengthy and technically challenging. Investigators have also warned that floating debris may have drifted from the actual impact point because of currents and sea conditions.
Data from flight-tracking services indicates the aircraft experienced significant altitude variations during its final minutes. Preliminary information suggests the jet first lost altitude, briefly climbed again and then entered a second, much steeper descent before contact was lost.
K2 Airways said the crew consisted of the captain, first officer, loadmaster and two engineers. The airline added that it is cooperating with Pakistan's aviation authorities and other government agencies involved in the investigation and recovery effort.
The Boeing 737-400 was built in 1999 and spent part of its career in passenger service with Aeroflot and Garuda Indonesia before being converted into a freighter in 2012. It joined K2 Airways in December 2024 under lease from AerCap.
The aircraft belonged to Boeing's Classic 737 family, powered by CFM56-3 engines, and public fleet records indicate it was the only aircraft operated by the Karachi-based cargo carrier.
