K2 Airways Cargo Plane Missing : wreckage found in Arabian Sea, search for crew continues
Update: The Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency have located and identified the wreckage of the aircraft, about 53 nautical miles south of Ormara, after roughly 12 hours of search and rescue operations. The search for the crew members is continuing. The article below has been updated to reflect this.
A Boeing 737 cargo plane operated by Karachi-based K2 Airways went missing over the Arabian Sea on the night of July 7, 2026, while flying from Sharjah to Karachi. Pakistani authorities launched a search and rescue operation, and the wreckage has now been found.
Here is a simple, clear explanation of what happened, who was on board, and what officials have said.
Quick facts
- Flight: K2 Airways Flight 1732 (also listed as KTA1732)
- Aircraft: Boeing 737-400 cargo freighter, registration AP-BOI
- Route: Sharjah International Airport (UAE) to Jinnah International Airport, Karachi
- Date lost contact: Night of July 7, 2026
- Crew on board: 5
- Distance from Karachi when contact was lost: About 155 nautical miles (287 km)
- Wreckage location: About 53 nautical miles south of Ormara
- Status: Wreckage located and identified; search for crew members ongoing
What happened
The aircraft was on a routine cargo run from Sharjah to Karachi. At around 9:18 pm Pakistan time, the crew told <cite index=”33-1″>Karachi Area Control Centre that the plane had a navigational system problem</cite>. Air traffic controllers began giving the crew directions to help guide the aircraft toward Karachi.
Three minutes later, at around 9:21 pm, radar showed the plane dropping altitude quickly and changing direction sharply. <cite index=”33-1″>Radar and radio contact were then lost</cite>. Flight-tracking data reviewed by aviation trackers pointed to a possible crash location in the Arabian Sea, southwest of Karachi.
The Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency have since located and identified the aircraft’s wreckage, about 53 nautical miles south of Ormara, after roughly 12 hours of search and rescue work. Various air and sea assets were used in the operation. Efforts are now focused on finding the missing crew members, and further details are expected as the operation continues.
Who was on board
K2 Airways confirmed the identities of the five crew members: <cite index=”34-1″>Mohammad Rizwan Idrees as pilot in command, Faisal Mehmood as first officer, Muhammad Toufique Khan as load master, and Arif Siddiqui and Mohammad Hamid as engineers</cite>.
The search operation
A Pakistani navy ship, a merchant vessel run by the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, and two navy aircraft are taking part in the search, according to security sources. Pakistan’s Rescue Coordination Centre was activated shortly after contact was lost, and the search covers the area over the Arabian Sea where the aircraft’s last signals were recorded.
After about 12 hours of searching, the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency located and identified the wreckage roughly 53 nautical miles south of Ormara. The five crew members have not yet been found, and the search is continuing.
A closer look at the aircraft’s history
The missing aircraft is 27 years old and has flown for six different operators over its lifetime. It was first delivered to Russia’s Aeroflot in 1999 as a passenger aircraft, then later flew for Garuda Indonesia. In 2012, it was converted into a cargo freighter for Belgium’s TNT Airways.
According to flight-tracking records, the aircraft was taken out of service in June 2023 and stored in France for about ten months. Irish aircraft leasing company AerCap brought it back into service in April 2024, then placed it into storage again, first in Jakarta and later in Karachi, where it sat for close to six months. It began flying for K2 Airways in December 2024.
This aircraft was the only one in K2 Airways’ fleet.
What officials have said
K2 Airways released a statement saying it was fully cooperating with authorities on the search, adding: “We continue to pray, earnestly, for the safety of our colleagues.”
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a statement expressing grief over the incident and offering his sympathy to the families of the missing crew members.
Why this incident is getting national attention
With the wreckage now confirmed, this is Pakistan’s first major civilian air disaster since May 2020, when a Pakistan International Airlines flight crashed short of the runway in Karachi, killing 97 of the 99 people on board.
What happens next
Search and rescue teams are now focused on finding the five missing crew members near the wreckage site south of Ormara. Once that phase of the operation concludes, Pakistani aviation authorities, along with international investigators, are expected to open a formal investigation into what caused the navigational system fault and the aircraft’s rapid descent.
This is a developing story. Details may change as search teams share new updates. Readers looking for the latest information should check official statements from the Pakistan Airports Authority, the Pakistan Navy, and K2 Airways directly.
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