Pakistan’s search and rescue authorities have located the wreckage of a K2 Airways Boeing 737 cargo aircraft that lost radar and radio contact during a flight from Sharjah to Karachi on Tuesday night.
The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said the wreckage was recovered approximately 53 nautical miles south of Ormara following more than 12 hours of search and rescue operations involving the Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA).
Search and rescue operations were underway for nearly 12 hours in deep sea after a K2 Airways Boeing 737-400 cargo aircraft lost radar and radio contact over the Arabian Sea while operating a flight from Sharjah to Karachi on Tuesday.
The aircraft, registered AP-BOI, was operating flight KTA1732 from Sharjah International Airport to Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport with five crew members on board.
According to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), flight KTA1732 reported a navigation system issue to Karachi Area Control Centre (ACC) at 2118 PST while en route from Sharjah to Karachi. Air traffic controllers provided heading guidance, but at 2121 PST the aircraft was observed on radar rapidly descending and making a rapid heading change before radar and radio contact were lost approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi.
The Pakistan Airports Authority said the Rescue Coordination Centre was activated immediately. The Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force and merchant vessels in the area are participating in the search.
Flight Tracking Data
Flight tracking data reviewed by The Aviation Brief indicates the aircraft remained at its cruising altitude of approximately 35,000 feet for most of the flight. The final publicly available ADS-B data from FlightRadar24 show the aircraft descending from its cruising altitude to a reported altitude of about 1,100 feet before the signal was lost. Flight tracking data are preliminary and have not been independently verified by investigators.
Flightradar24 said preliminary ADS-B data indicate a possible crash at sea southwest of Karachi.
K2 Airways’ Only Aircraft
The aircraft involved, a 27-year-old Boeing 737-400BDSF registered AP-BOI, was the first and only aircraft in the fleet of Karachi-based cargo airline K2 Airways. Delivered to the airline on July 1, 2024, it enabled K2 Airways to launch commercial cargo operations.
Built in 1999, the aircraft entered service as a passenger jet before later being converted into a freighter. Prior to joining K2 Airways, it operated with Aeroflot, Garuda Indonesia, TNT Airways and ASL Airlines.
Investigation
The Pakistan Airports Authority said the investigation into the incident is continuing. Additional information, including the circumstances surrounding the loss of contact is expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Photo: K2 Airways | Graphic: The Aviation Brief
Article updated on July 8, 2026, following the Pakistan Airports Authority’s latest statement confirming that aircraft wreckage had been located.
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