KARACHI: A major joint search and rescue operation is underway in the Arabian Sea after a K2 Airways Boeing 737-400 cargo aircraft, registered as AP-BOI, crashed approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi, near Ormara, Balochistan. Operating under flight number KTA 1732, the empty ferry flight was returning to Karachi from Sharjah after undergoing five days of technical maintenance by a company named Northern Techniques.
The emergency began at 9:18 PM when the pilot reported a navigational failure, prompting immediate guidance from the Karachi Area Control Center. However, just three minutes later at 9:21 PM, radar data showed the aircraft abruptly turning right and plunging at a catastrophic descent rate of nearly 15,000 feet per minute before all communication and radar contact went completely dead. Five crew members were on board the ill-fated aircraft, including Captain Muhammad Rizwan Idrees, First Officer Faisal Jatoi (also reported as Faisal Mahmood), Load Master Muhammad Taufiq Khan, and Engineers Muhammad Hamid and Muhammad Arif Siddiqui, the latter being a highly experienced retired veteran from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Mobilization & Search Efforts
Following the aircraft’s disappearance, the Rescue Coordination Center was immediately activated to launch a massive, multi-agency operation utilizing both aerial and maritime assets. The Pakistan Navy has deployed two major warships, PNS Zulfiquar and PNS Hunain, alongside naval aircraft to scan the vast crash site, while the Pakistan Air Force and the Maritime Security Agency have mobilized fast response boats and a specialized Defender aircraft. Humanitarian and civil aviation support has also been heavily engaged, with the Edhi Foundation dispatching its Piper Seneca APBFM search aircraft and maritime teams alongside assistance from Sky Wings Aviation. This intense round-the-clock operation faces extreme challenges, as the vast search area is currently plagued by the rough, treacherous, and choppy sea conditions typical of the June-July monsoon season. In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and extended his heartfelt sympathies to the families of the crew, while strictly directing the Pakistan Civil Aviation, Navy, and Air Force to utilize every possible state resource to accelerate the rescue efforts.
Investigations Underway
Parallel to the active rescue mission, regulatory and law enforcement agencies have launched a rigorous probe into the technical and operational history of the flight. Investigative authorities have already sealed the K2 Airways office at the Karachi Airport to secure vital maintenance records, logs, and pre-flight data before technical teams depart for Balochistan. Additionally, an 11-member specialized team from the Bureau of Safety Investigation (BSI) is arriving in Karachi from Islamabad to thoroughly examine the airline’s documentation and lead the crash investigation. For its part, the K2 Airways management has released a statement confirming the details of the flight and assured that the airline is fully cooperating with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and all other government investigation teams.
