The last message from the pilot of a K2 Airways cargo flight that went down after losing contact with air traffic control on Tuesday has now emerged.
Pakistan Airports Authority said the privately operated cargo aircraft was nearing Karachi after flying in from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, when it began what officials described as a ‘rapidly descending’ approach.
According to initial reports, the crew had reported a navigation system problem shortly before contact was lost, and radar data appeared to show the Boeing 737 making abrupt altitude changes before disappearing from controllers’ screens.
FlightRadar data appears to show the aircraft losing altitude quickly just before 9.20pm local time.
Reports indicate the plane fell from 36,550 feet, including a drop of 5,000 feet in under a minute.
Communication with air traffic control was then lost at 9:21 p.m. local time on July 7, roughly a minute later.
After a 12-hour search operation, authorities said the wreckage was located in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Ormara.
By July 10, rescuers had recovered additional debris from the aircraft and the search for the five missing crew members was still ongoing, with investigators expected to analyze the wreckage for clues about what caused the crash.
A search was launched for the five crew members on board. In a statement, K2 Airways identified them as Capt. Muhammad Rizwan Idris, First Officer Faisal Jatoi, flight engineers Muhammad Hamid and Muhammad Arif Siddiqui, and aircraft loader Muhammad Taufiq Khan.
“We continue to pray earnestly for the safety of our colleagues,”
the airline said.
The carrier also said it was ‘fully cooperating with the Pakistan Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies.
The pilot’s final transmission has since been widely reported, with news.com.au stating that he said the aircraft was ‘floating or rolling,’
In aviation terms, ‘rolling’ refers to an aircraft banking from side to side, while ‘floating’ can describe a landing-related issue.
K2 Airways is a privately owned cargo airline based in Karachi. According to its website, it was founded in May 2018 under an Airline Charter license granted by the Government of Pakistan.
The Boeing 737 is currently the airline’s only aircraft. In 2024, the company’s CEO said:
“Our inaugural Boeing 737-400SF aircraft arrived in Karachi on July 1, 2024, marking a significant milestone in enhancing cargo capacity and frequency to domestic and international destinations. Recognizing the vital role of cargo airlines in supporting Pakistan’s economic growth, we are committed to setting new standards in air cargo services.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also shared his condolences, expressing his ‘deep sorrow, grief and regret over the tragic incident’.
The country’s last major air disaster occurred in 2020, when more than 90 people were killed after a Pakistan International Airlines jet crashed into a house.