Images show wreckage retrieved from the ocean today as searchers continue to look for the five crew members who were on board the aircraft when contact was lost.

Debris recovered from the ocean(Image: Pakistan Navy via AP)

Searchers bring aboard wreckage(Image: Pakistan Navy via AP)

A section of the plane is recovered(Image: Pakistan Navy via AP)

Wreckage from the cargo plane(Image: Pakistan Navy via AP)

Images shared by searchers show wreckage from the plane with the ‘K2’ logo on it recovered from the ocean.

The Pakistani navy and civilian teams in planes and ships found the wreckage after about 12 hours of searching in the Arabian Sea, Pakistan's Airports Authority said in a post on X. The search continued for five missing people who were aboard the aircraft.

Civilian and navy searchers off the coast of Pakistan have located and recovered wreckage from the cargo plane that disappeared while approaching the southern port of Karachi.

The search continues for five missing crew members, officials said.

Users on social media shared sympathies following news of the disappearance.

"A very sad and tragic incident indeed," one user wrote. "My deepest sympathies and prayers are with the crew members' families and all those affected by the plane crash."

"Praying for the safety of everyone on board the K2 Airways flight. Hope everyone is fine," another user posted.

Other users pointed out recent crashes or aircraft malfunctions regarding Boeing planes.

"Heads up to everyone saying, 'Another Boeing?' This is a 737-400 well over 20-30 years old depending ofc. Boeing hasnt touched this aircraft in decades," one user argued.

In recent years, Boeing has faced multiple plane crashes, leaving many wondering about the safety and efficiency of the company.

The disappearance came just hours after the Pakistan Airports Authority team led by the Airport Manager and Deputy Airport Manager discussed safer flight operations at Karachi Airport with local authorities.

"The Commissioner directed immediate improvement in sanitation and cleaning around the airport to help reduce bird hazards," the PAA posted on X.

Pakistan's Navy and civilian authorities today expanded the search for the missing cargo plane. The search is still ongoing, according to three officials familiar with the rescue operation. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the possible crash.

They added that the vast search area in the Arabian Sea and rough monsoon seas were posing significant challenges to the search-and-rescue operation. Pakistan's military and civilian agencies activated the Rescue Coordination Center and launched search-and-rescue operations at sea shortly after the aircraft went missing.

According to the officials, Pakistan Navy frigate PNS Zulfiqar was dispatched to the area where contact with the aircraft was lost. The Pakistan Air Force also deployed aircraft to assist in the search, while a Pakistan Navy ATR aircraft took off from the southwestern city of Turbat.

A merchant vessel operated by the Pakistan National Shipping Corp. also joined the operation, officials said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sympathy with the families of the five crew members, according to a statement from his office, and directed the government to deploy all available resources for the search effort.

The final words of the pilot onboard the Boeing 737 that mysteriously vanished over the Arabian sea have been revealed.

The last transmission from the pilot suggested he may have been struggling to control the plane as he described the aircraft as "rolling or floating", which experts are interpreting as suggesting something went wrong with the flying system.

The phrase 'rolling' is used by pilots to describe when a plane tilts from side to side. While rolling is often done intentionally when turning, an uncommanded roll can indicate a serious problem such as flight control failure, severe turbulence, structural damage and asymmetric lift or engine issues.

The phrase 'floating' is normally used during landing, and refers to when pilots stay airborne above the runway instead of touching down because planes are going too fast or encountering ground effect.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed "deep grief and sorrow" over the incident, describing it as tragic, and directed authorities to intensify the search efforts.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, he expressed “deep sorrow, grief, and regret over the tragic incident in which a private cargo aircraft (K2 Airways) flying from Sharjah to Karachi crashed into the Arabian Sea and went missing”.

Mr Sharif extended his condolences to the families of the crew members. He also instructed "the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force to intensify search and rescue operations in the Arabian Sea and to use all available resources in the ongoing operation."

The K2 Airways’ Boeing 737-400 is 27 years old and has flown for six different operators.

It was originally delivered to Russia’s Aeroflot as a passenger aircraft in 1999 before it later flew for Garuda Indonesia. In 2012 it was converted into a cargo aircraft for Belgium’s TNT Airways.

It was withdrawn from service in June 2023, aircraft tracking records show, and parked in France for about 10 months.

In April 2024 Irish company AerCap reactivated the aircraft before placing it back into storage, first in Jakarta and later in Karachi. It remained there for nearly six months before it entered service with K2 Airways in December 2024.

The Pakistan-registered aircraft reported a navigational system issue while on its way from the United Arab Emirates to the Pakistani port of Karachi before it rapidly descended and went silent.

Flightradar24 tracking data shows the plane plunged about 5,000ft in less than a minute, surged back 6,000ft in just 30 seconds, before ‌a dive from 36,550 feet.

Read the full story here

(Image: Getty)

Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority said the plane had reported an issue with its navigational systems and was being guided by the Karachi Area Control Centre (ACC), which provides air traffic control for the southern airspace of Pakistan, when it went down.

The government body said: “K2 Airways B 737 of Pakistan Cargo Flight enroute from Sharjah to Karachi at time 2118PST reported Navigational system issue and was promptly guided by KARACHI ACC

“⁠However; at time 2121PST aircraft was observed on RADAR rapidly descending and with rapid heading change, subsequently RADAR contact and communication was lost approximately 155 NM west of Karachi.

“⁠Following the occurrence RESCUE COORD CENTRE has been activated and coordinated Search & Rescue launched at sea through various agencies to locate the missing aircraft.

“⁠There were five crew members onboard the aircraft.”

The missing plane is a missing Boeing 737 cargo plane owned by K2 Airways.

K2 Airways Boeing 737 flight has been found (file)(Image: K2 Airways)

The Pakistan Aerospace Council says its "thoughts" are with the crew and their families as a search mission continues for the missing plane.

The aerospace industry body states: "The Pakistan Aerospace Council (PAeC) stands in solidarity with K2 Airways during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with the crew, their families, and all those awaiting updates. We sincerely hope for positive news from the ongoing search efforts."

A flight map shows the path taken by a K2 Airways plane before it disappeared in the sea.

Data from Flightradar 24 shows that the plane was flying at 1,100ft above the sea at 16.21 UTC and was going down at 22,400ft per minute.

The flight map of the missing plane

A Pakistan aerospace industry body says it is "closely monitoring" the reports that the plane lost contact with air traffic control following anavigation system issue.Pakistan Aerospace Council states: "The Pakistan Aerospace Council (PAeC) is closely monitoring reports that the K2 Airways #Boeing 737-400 cargo aircraft operating a flight from Sharjah to Karachi lost contact with air traffic control over the Arabian Sea while approaching Pakistani airspace."According to aviation authorities, the aircraft, carrying five crew members, reported a navigation system issue shortly before it lost contact with air traffic control, approximately 300 kilometres west of Karachi. Search operations are currently underway, with K2 Airways confirming its full cooperation with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant agencies."

K2 Airways has released a statement naming those on board after contact was lost with a cargo plane from Sharjah to Karachi.

It reads: "K2 Airways’ cargo aircraft Boeing 737-400 Registration Ap-BOI, which was going from Sharjah to Karachi last night, lost contact with Air Traffic Control at about 21:21 hours according to Pakistan time.

"There were 5 crew members on board the aircraft. Mohammad Rizwan Idrees (Pilot in Command), Faisal Mehmood (First Officer), Muhammad Toufique Khan (Load Master), Arif Siddiqui (Engineer), Mohammad Hamid (Englineer).

"Search and rescue operations are being conducted by the concerned organisations. K2 Airways is fully cooperating with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies. We continue to pray, earnestly, for the safety of our colleagues."

For those waking up, this is what you need to know about the K2 Airways Boeing 737 disappearance:

• A cargo aircraft carrying five crew members has disappeared off the coast of Pakistan late on Tuesday, July 7
• The plane lost contact with air traffic control during a flight from the United Arab Emirates
• Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority said search and rescue teams had been deployed to the Arabian Sea
• There is no established cause of the disappearance, but officials have verified that the crew reported a navigation system malfunction shortly before contact was lost
• The last transmitted data point located the aircraft at 1,100 feet above sea level
• The plane is thought to have plummeted roughly 35,000 feet in less than two minutes, based on tracking data
• The aircraft, a 27- year-old converted freighter, is operated by Karachi-based K2 Airways
• Established in 2017, K2 Airways is a private Pakistani cargo airline headquartered at Jinnah International Airport
• If fatalities are confirmed, the incident would mark the first deadly crash in Pakistan since 2020

An aviation expert told ARY News that it is unclear what caused the aircraft to disappear from radar.

Even if an aircraft suffers an engine failure, it would normally continue gliding rather than plunge suddenly, Imran Aslam said.

"I still cannot understand how the plane went down so abruptly instead of gliding."

The aircraft is one of Boeing's decades-old 737.

The 737-400 was first delivered as a passenger plane to Russia's Aeroflot in 1999, but in 2012 it was converted to a freighter.

It is K2 Airways' only aircraft and entered ⁠into service with the carrier in 2024.

Data from Flightradar24 shows the aircraft first lost altitude.

It then briefly climbed before another dramatic drop.

Reuters news agency is reporting that early flight data indicated the converted freighter possibly crashed into the sea southwest of Karachi.

This after a series of sharp altitude changes before a steep final descent, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24.

There is currently no confirmed cause.

Officials have only confirmed that the crew reported a navigation system issue shortly before contact was lost. Investigators will examine flight data, communications and any wreckage recovered before determining what happened.

Search and rescue teams have been deployed to the Arabian Sea, with Pakistan's navy, air force and other emergency agencies assisting the operation.

The aircraft's last known position was approximately 287 kilometres west of Karachi.