Boeing Cargo Plane Crashes Into Arabian Sea Off Pakistan Coast After Navigation Failure

A Boeing 737-400 cargo plane operated by K2 Airways crashed into the Arabian Sea southwest of Karachi, Pakistan, on Wednesday after losing radar contact. The aircraft, en route to Karachi, reported a navigation system malfunction at 21:18 Pakistan time before abruptly descending and disappearing from radar. Pakistani air traffic control attempted to guide the plane, but it entered a rapid and erratic descent, dropping approximately 5,000 feet in under a minute, briefly climbing 6,000 feet, then plunging from 36,550 feet to just 1,100 feet above sea level before losing communication entirely.

The plane carried five crew members, including two pilots, two engineers, and support staff. Pakistani rescue forces launched an extensive search and rescue operation in the presumed crash area. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered authorities to expedite the search efforts and expressed his sincere condolences to the families of the missing crew. The aircraft, originally a passenger plane for Russia's Aeroflot in 1999, was converted to cargo use in 2012 and is the sole plane in K2 Airways' fleet, having entered service with them in 2024.

This incident marks Pakistan's first fatal plane crash since 2020, raising concerns about aviation safety in the region. The investigation and search operations are ongoing as authorities seek to locate the wreckage and determine the cause of the crash.