Rough seas hamper search for missing K2 cargo plane

A massive air and sea search is underway after a K2 Airways cargo aircraft disappeared over the Arabian Sea while flying from Sharjah to Karachi, with rescuers battling rough monsoon waters and a vast search area in a race against time.

The Boeing 737 cargo aircraft, registered AP-BOI, lost contact with air traffic control on Tuesday night while approaching Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Airports Authority, the crew first reported a navigation system malfunction at 9:18 p.m. Karachi Area Control immediately provided guidance, but just three minutes later the aircraft began rapidly losing altitude before disappearing from radar approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi, near the Ormara coastline.

The aircraft was carrying five crew members: Captain Muhammad Rizwan Idris, First Officer Faisal Mahmood, Flight Engineer Arif Siddiqui, Engineer Muhammad Hameed, and Loadmaster Muhammad Toufiq Khan.

Authorities have launched a large-scale joint search and rescue operation involving the Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, the Maritime Security Agency, merchant vessels, and the Edhi Foundation. Navy warships PNS Zulfiquar and PNS Hunain have been deployed to the suspected crash site, while surveillance aircraft continue scanning the sea from above.

Edhi Foundation also dispatched its Piper Seneca AP-BFM rescue aircraft along with emergency response teams to assist in locating the missing plane.

Rescue officials say the operation has become exceptionally difficult because of the enormous search zone and the powerful waves generated by the June-July monsoon season. Strong winds, reduced visibility, and rough seas are slowing search efforts and complicating the deployment of rescue assets.

Preliminary aviation data indicates the aircraft suddenly turned to the right before descending at an alarming rate of nearly 15,000 feet per minute. Despite repeated calls from air traffic controllers, no further communication was received from the cockpit.

K2 Airways confirmed the aircraft had departed Sharjah for Karachi after undergoing maintenance. According to aviation sources, the cargo jet had remained in Sharjah for five days for repairs carried out by Northern Techniques and was returning to Pakistan on a ferry flight without cargo.

One crew member, Engineer Arif Siddiqui, was a retired engineer from Pakistan International Airlines who had spent years serving the national carrier before joining K2 Airways.

As search teams continue to comb the Arabian Sea, anxious families are awaiting news, while aviation authorities have launched an investigation to determine what caused the aircraft to vanish so suddenly. The coming hours are expected to be crucial as rescuers intensify efforts despite challenging weather conditions.