A Boeing 737 cargo plane operated by K2 Airways crashed into the Arabian Sea off Pakistan's coast on Tuesday night, killing all five crew members on board. The aircraft, which had departed from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, lost contact with air traffic control after experiencing a navigation system problem while en route to Karachi.
Prime Minister Expresses Condolences
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his condolences to the families of the five crew members, his government said in a post on X. He "expressed profound grief and sorrow over the tragic incident" and noted that the K2 Airways plane went down in the Arabian Sea. "The Prime Minister has extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the five crew members aboard the aircraft," the government post said.
Details of the Crash
Air traffic control lost contact with the K2 Airways Cargo 737 aircraft at approximately 21:21 hours Pakistan time on Tuesday night after a navigation system problem occurred. Flight data showed the plane experienced a loss of altitude and a high rate of descent, followed by a climb and then a second sudden loss of altitude, suggesting it crashed into the sea. Pakistan aviation authorities confirmed earlier on Tuesday that a search and rescue operation was under way.
Airline Statement and Crew Identities
The airline posted an update on Facebook, stating that the aircraft "lost contact with air traffic control at about 21.21 hours according to Pakistan time." It added, "Search and rescue operations are being conducted by the concerned organisations." The airline released the names of the five people on board: pilot Mohammad Rizwan Idrees; first officer Faisal Mehmood; load master Muhammad Toufique Khan; and engineers Arif Siddiqui and Mohammad Hamid.
