Search teams have recovered debris from a Boeing 737 cargo aircraft that disappeared over the Arabian Sea after suffering a rapid loss of altitude during its flight to Pakistan. The five crew members who were on board are feared to have lost their lives.

The aircraft, operated by K2 Airways, disappeared from radar on Tuesday, July 7, while en route from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, to Karachi. Authorities launched an extensive search operation, and after approximately 12 hours, Pakistani naval forces located pieces of the wreckage floating in the Arabian Sea.

Photographs released by officials show large sections of the aircraft being recovered from the water. However, investigators say the main fuselage has not yet been found, and recovery efforts remain challenging due to rough sea conditions and the crash site's estimated depth of around 9,800 feet.

Technical Issue Reported Before Crash

According to Pakistan's Airport Authority, the crew contacted air traffic control shortly before the incident to report a problem with the aircraft's navigation system.

Officials said controllers at the Karachi Area Control Center immediately provided assistance, but only three minutes later, radar data showed the aircraft experiencing a sudden and severe drop in altitude before all communication was lost.

The aircraft's final recorded position was approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi, over the Arabian Sea.

Flight tracking information indicates the Boeing 737 descended roughly 5,000 feet in less than a minute before entering a steep, uncontrolled dive from an altitude of 36,550 feet. At the time, the aircraft was traveling at an estimated speed of 240 mph.

Airline Cooperating with Investigation

K2 AiK2 Airways confirmed the identities of the five crew members aboard. It said it is working closely with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies involved in the investigation.a statement, the airline expressed hope for those on board and said it continues to pray for the safety of its colleagues.

The aircraft involved was the only Boeing 737 in K2 Airways' fleet and had entered service with the company in 2024.

Pakistan's First Fatal Air Disaster Since 2020?

If investigators officially confirm that all five crew members died, the accident would mark Pakistan's first fatal aviation disaster since 2020. That year, a passenger aircraft crashed into a residential area near Karachi Airport.

The official investigation into the 2020 tragedy concluded that pilot error was responsible, finding that the flight crew became distracted during critical phases of the flight, contributing to an unsuccessful landing attempt.