KARACHI: The Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) have located the wreckage of the private cargo aircraft that went missing during a flight from Sharjah to Karachi.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Wednesday, the aircraft’s wreckage was found approximately 53 nautical miles south of the Ormara coast after more than 12 hours of continuous search operations.
Authorities said naval and aerial search teams remain deployed in the area to recover the missing crew members and collect evidence that may help determine the cause of the crash.
Rescue Operation Remains Underway
The PAA said Pakistan Navy and PMSA vessels and aircraft continue to conduct rescue and recovery operations around the crash site.
Search teams are carefully scanning the surrounding waters for any survivors, human remains, flight-related debris, and other material that could assist investigators.
Officials have not yet announced whether the aircraft’s flight recorders, commonly known as the “black boxes,” have been recovered.
Aircraft Lost Contact Near Karachi
The missing aircraft belonged to a private cargo company and was flying from Sharjah to Karachi when it lost contact with air traffic control.
According to the Pakistan Airports Authority, communication with the aircraft was lost at approximately 9:21 p.m. while it was around 155 nautical miles west of Karachi.
The disappearance prompted an immediate search and rescue operation involving multiple military and civilian agencies.
Navy and Air Force Deployed Multiple Assets
Sources said the operation includes the Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, and merchant vessels operating in the region.
The Pakistan Navy deployed the warship PNS Zulfiqar, while PNS Hunain was also dispatched to assist in the operation.
A Pakistan Air Force Saab surveillance aircraft and a Pakistan Navy ATR aircraft operating from Turbat joined the mission to conduct aerial searches over the Arabian Sea.
The coordinated effort reflects the scale of the operation and the difficult conditions involved in locating the aircraft over open water.
PN and PMSA after 12 hours of Search & Rescue operations in deep Sea have successfully located and identified wreckage of K2 Airways Cargo B737 which was declared missing last night. The wreckage was recovered from 53 NM South of ORMARA. pic.twitter.com/0dZpj8s7u3
— Pakistan Airports Authority (@Pk_PAA_Official) July 8, 2026
Five Crew Members Remain Missing
The cargo company’s spokesperson confirmed that five crew members were on board the aircraft when contact was lost.
They were identified as:
- Captain Muhammad Rizwan Idris – Pilot
- Faisal Mehmood – First Officer
- Muhammad Taufiq – Loadmaster
- Arif Siddiqui – Engineer
- Muhammad Hamid – Crew Member
Authorities said the company’s office at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi has been sealed to preserve operational records that may be required during the investigation.
Flight Data Shows Sudden Descent
Flight tracking data indicates that Flight TA1732 was cruising normally at an altitude of approximately 35,000 feet and a speed of around 790 kilometres per hour before the incident occurred.
According to available tracking information, the aircraft suddenly made a U-turn before entering a rapid descent.
Within about five minutes, it reportedly lost nearly 34,000 feet in altitude, slowing to approximately 211 kilometres per hour before descending to around 1,100 feet and disappearing from radar.
An air traffic controller told Geo News that the pilot did not transmit a Mayday distress call before communication was lost, suggesting the emergency may have developed too quickly for the crew to respond.
Investigation to Determine Cause
Investigators are expected to examine the recovered wreckage, maintenance records, weather conditions, flight data, and any flight recorders recovered from the crash site before determining the cause of the accident.
Officials have urged the public to avoid speculation until the investigation is completed and verified findings are released.
Similar Accident in Karachi’s Aviation History
The incident has drawn comparisons with a 2010 cargo aircraft crash in Karachi, when a Russian cargo plane carrying eight people crashed into a residential area shortly after taking off for Khartoum, Sudan.
All eight people on board were killed in that accident, which also caused fires in nearby buildings and prompted a major rescue operation.
Authorities say the current investigation will continue alongside the recovery mission, with further updates expected as search teams gather additional evidence from the crash site.
