ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Pakistan Navy has intensified search operations in the Arabian Sea for the missing crew of a cargo plane that crashed earlier this week. Recovery teams have retrieved additional debris from the aircraft, which will be examined by investigators as the search for the five missing crew members continues into its third day on Friday.
The Pakistan Airports Authority announced via a post on X that the search-and-rescue operations, involving both the Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, are ongoing in deep waters. Aircraft and various resources have been deployed in a coordinated effort to locate the missing crew. An update from the authority did not provide further information about the unfolding situation, stating that details would be shared later. Meanwhile, the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
The cargo plane, operated by Karachi-based private airline K2 Airways, went missing from radar late Tuesday. It was on its way from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Karachi, Pakistan, when it reported a malfunction in its navigation system. The plane vanished from radar approximately 287 kilometers (178 miles) west of Karachi, just before losing radio and radar contact around 9:21 p.m. on Tuesday night.
The initial pieces of wreckage were located by the Navy about 100 kilometers (60 miles) off the coast of Ormara, a town situated in Pakistan’s southwestern Makran coast in Balochistan province. However, authorities have confirmed that the main fuselage of the aircraft and all five crew members are still missing. The challenging circumstances of the search have been exacerbated by rough seas, strong winds, and shifting ocean currents, which complicate the efforts to pinpoint the crash site.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged the relevant authorities to utilize all available resources to locate the missing crew, while K2 Airways has pledged its full cooperation with civil aviation officials who are conducting the investigation into the aircraft’s disappearance.
In a broader context, Pakistan has a history of experiencing several tragic air crashes over the past few decades. The recent troubling incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding the safety and reliability of air travel in the region.
As search teams continue their operations, the situation remains critical as hopes diminish for the safe recovery of the missing crew members. With the wreckage now recovered and undergoing analysis, authorities are expected to reveal more information regarding the cause of this unfortunate crash in the days ahead.
