Additional Coverage:
Officials have released new information regarding the disappearance of a K2 Airways cargo plane off the coast of Pakistan on Tuesday, including the names of the five crew members still missing.
The Boeing 737 was on a cargo flight headed to Karachi, Pakistan, when it vanished from radar at approximately 9:21 p.m. Tuesday. The aircraft had taken off earlier that day from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, according to reports.
On Wednesday, authorities recovered some wreckage about 53 miles south of Ormara, but the search for the missing crew continues into Thursday.
The missing crew members have been identified as Captain Muhammad Rizwan Idris, First Officer Faisal Jatoi, flight engineers Muhammad Hamid and Muhammad Arif Siddiqui, and aircraft loader Muhammad Taufiq Khan, as confirmed by the airline via a social media post.
Faisal Jatoi’s family, including his father-in-law Ghulam Nabi Bahrani, shared that they had been in regular contact with him while he was in Sharjah. Jatoi reportedly called his wife shortly before departing the UAE on Tuesday. Bahrani expressed hope, saying, “All we can do is wait and pray for a miracle.”
Search efforts have involved both military and civilian teams using planes and ships. Pakistan’s Airports Authority confirmed the discovery of wreckage in the Arabian Sea after about 12 hours of searching. Various air and sea resources continue to be employed to locate the missing crew members.
The crew had reported a navigation system issue shortly before losing contact, approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi. Radar data indicated the plane was descending rapidly before disappearing from radar screens.
The aircraft involved was K2 Airways’ sole plane-a roughly 27-year-old Boeing 737-400 freighter, according to aviation databases. The airline, founded in 2018, released a statement expressing their prayers for the safety of their colleagues.
Military assets, including the Pakistan Navy frigate PNS Zulfiqar and aircraft from the Pakistan Air Force, have been deployed to assist with the ongoing search and rescue operations.
Both K2 Airways and Boeing have been contacted for comment as the investigation continues.