Boeing 737 cargo plane crash off Pakistan coast with missing crew
Consensus Summary
A Boeing 737 cargo plane operated by K2 Airways crashed into the Arabian Sea southwest of Karachi on Tuesday night, with five crew members missing. Both sources confirm the aircraft was approximately 287km (155 nautical miles) west of Karachi when it lost contact after a rapid descent from 36,550 feet. The plane, a 27-year-old converted freighter that entered service in 2024, had not flown since 28 June. The Guardian reports a navigational system issue at 9:18pm, while ABC states contact was lost at 9:21pm. Rescue crews have recovered debris, but the bulk of the wreckage may lie 3,000 metres below the surface. ABC also notes a 2020 crash involving 98 fatalities, though it is unrelated to the current incident.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- A Boeing 737 cargo plane operated by K2 Airways crashed into the Arabian Sea southwest of Karachi
- The plane lost contact with air traffic control at 9:21pm local time on Tuesday
- The aircraft was approximately 287km (155 nautical miles) west of Karachi when it crashed
- The plane descended rapidly from 36,550 feet before losing contact
- Five crew members remain missing after the crash
- The aircraft was a 27-year-old converted freighter that entered service in 2024
- The plane had not flown since 28 June before the crash
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The plane reported a navigational system problem at 9:18pm Pakistan Standard Time (16:18 GMT)
- Flight data showed the plane plunged 5,000 feet in less than a minute, surged back 6,000 feet in 30 seconds, then descended at 22,400 feet per minute (400 km/h)
- The last transmitted data point placed the aircraft at 1,100 feet above sea level
- The aircraft is part of Boeing’s decades-old 737 family, two generations older than the 737 MAX
- Debris from the crash has been recovered in the Arabian Sea by rescue crews
- The bulk of the wreckage could be 3,000 metres below the surface
- The missing crew members are Captain Muhammad Rizwan Idris, First Officer Faisal Jatoi, flight engineers Muhammad Hamid and Muhammad Arif Siddiqui, and aircraft loader Muhammad Taufiq Khan
- In May 2020, a Pakistan International Airlines flight carrying 98 people (99 on board) crashed near Karachi airport, killing 98
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states the plane was 287km west of Karachi, while ABC states it was 155 nautical miles (290 kilometres) west of Karachi
- The Guardian mentions a navigational system issue at 9:18pm, but ABC states contact was lost at 9:21pm
Source Articles
Search under way after Boeing 737 cargo plane goes missing off Pakistan coast
Early flight data showed the K2 Airways plane with five crew on board possibly crashed into the sea southwest of Karachi A Pakistan-registered Boeing 737 cargo plane with five crew members on board lost contact with air traffic control on Tuesday night after reporting a navigational system problem on its way to Karachi, Pakistan aviation authorities said. Early flight data indicated the 27-year-old converted freighter operated by K2 Airways from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates possibly c
Search for crew continues after Boeing cargo plane crash
Rescue crews battle rough sea conditions to recover parts of a Boeing cargo plane that crashed into the Arabian Sea. Five crew members remain missing.