(National Times)- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to intensify search and rescue operations in the Arabian Sea after a private cargo plane en route from Sharjah to Karachi went missing late on Tuesday night.
A K2 Airways Boeing 737-400 cargo aircraft disappeared from radar over the Arabian Sea, about 300 kilometres west of Karachi, late on Tuesday night.
K2 Airways is a private airline based in Karachi. The carrier was established in May 2018 after being granted an airline charter licence by the government.
According to reports, the aircraft lost contact while approaching Pakistani airspace. The pilot had reported a navigation problem during the flight and requested assistance from the area control centre.
On Wednesday, state-run Radio Pakistan reported that the premier had instructed the CAA, the navy and the PAF to utilise all available resources in the search operation, as he extended his heartfelt sympathies to the families of the five crew members on board the aircraft.
President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed concern about the missing aircraft and hoped for a successful search and rescue operation, according to a statement issued by the President House.
“The president extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the aircraft’s crew and expressed complete solidarity with them during this hour of trial,” the statement added.
The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said on Tuesday night that the plane reported a navigational system issue at 9:18pm and was promptly guided by the Karachi Area Control Centre.
However, at 9:21pm, the aircraft was observed on radar “rapidly descending” and making a sharp change in heading.
Subsequently, “radar contact and communication were lost” approximately 287 kilometres west of Karachi, PAA said.
According to FlightRadar, the aircraft, registered as AP-BOI, is a Boeing 737-4M0(BDSF) that entered service with K2 Airways in 2024.
It was originally delivered to Aeroflot as a passenger aircraft in 1999 before joining Garuda Indonesia in 2004. The aircraft was converted into a freighter in 2012 and later operated by TNT Airways and ASL Airlines.
