Pakistan Navy, Air Force launch large-scale search and rescue mission in Arabian Sea after cargo plane loses contact with control center

Pakistan has deployed its navy and air force to search for a Boeing cargo plane that disappeared from radar over the Arabian Sea, approximately 300 kilometers west of Karachi. The K2 Airways aircraft, flying from Sharjah in the UAE to Karachi, had reported a navigation system malfunction before disappearing from radar late Tuesday night. Five crew members were on board the aircraft.

According to a statement from the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), the Rescue Coordination Center was activated, and a coordinated search and rescue operation was launched at sea through various agencies to locate the missing aircraft. Geo News reported that the search area for the cargo plane has been significantly expanded, with the Pakistani Navy and Air Force now deploying additional aircraft and naval vessels to the search zone.

Sources told Geo News that the Pakistan Navy has sent the warship PNS Zulfiquar to join the search and rescue operation, while a Pakistan Air Force Saab surveillance aircraft is also participating in the mission. Sources said a Navy ATR aircraft has taken off from the city of Turbat to assist and has joined the extensive search operation, while PNS Hunain has also been sent to the affected area to participate in the search and rescue mission.

Sources further stated that commercial vessels operated by the National Shipping Corporation have also been deployed to assist in the search at sea, combining military and non-military (civilian) resources in the effort to locate the missing aircraft. The PAA statement noted that earlier on Tuesday night, when K2 Airways flight number B737 reported a navigation system malfunction at 9:18 PM Pakistan Standard Time, the Karachi Area Control Center (ACC) immediately issued directions to it.

The statement said, "However, at 9:21 PM, the aircraft was observed on radar descending rapidly and changing direction sharply. Following this, radar contact and communication were lost approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi." K2 Airways is a private aviation company operating out of Karachi, established in May 2018.