Cargo plane with five onboard goes missing off Karachi coast after losing contact

A cargo aircraft carrying five crew members went missing off the coast of Karachi late Tuesday after rapidly descending and losing contact with air traffic control during a flight from the United Arab Emirates, Pakistani authorities said.

Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority said search-and-rescue operations were launched in the Arabian Sea shortly after the aircraft disappeared. The cause of the incident remains unknown.

The Boeing 737, operated by Karachi-based K2 Airways, was flying from Sharjah to Karachi when the crew reported a navigation system malfunction at around 9:18 p.m. local time.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, radar data showed the aircraft suddenly losing altitude and making a sharp turn at approximately 9:21 p.m. Moments later, both radar and radio contact were lost around 155 nautical miles (287 km) west of Karachi, prompting an extensive search operation.