Boeing 737 cargo plane wreckage found off Pakistan after disappearing over Arabian Sea

Pakistani authorities said they located the cargo plane after 12 hours of searching at sea. The K2 Airways Boeing 737 disappeared from radar about 80 minutes into a two-hour flight from Sharjah, UAE, to Karachi, Pakistan. Authorities said the wreckage was recovered 53 nautical miles south of Ormara, a port city on Pakistan’s Arabian coast.

Three minutes before the crash, the pilots reported a “navigational system issue,” according to the Pakistan Airports Authority. Flight-tracking data cited in the report appears to show the aircraft dropped in altitude, climbed, and then suddenly plunged at 22,400 feet per minute. Business Insider noted that an airliner at altitude typically does not descend faster than 3,000 feet per minute.

The cargo plane was carrying five crew members, including a pilot, first officer, load master, and two engineers. K2 Airways said it was cooperating with government agencies on the investigation, and the 737 was the only airplane in its fleet, according to its website. The aircraft, registered AP-BOI, had been flying for more than 27 years and was converted to a freighter in 2011.

The crash adds to Pakistan’s record of serious aviation disasters over the past two decades, including crashes in 2020, 2019, and 2010 cited by Business Insider. For readers, the key items to watch next are official findings on the reported navigation issue, the aircraft’s maintenance and operating history, and any recovery of flight data or cockpit evidence. Until investigators release conclusions, the cause should not be assumed.