KABUL (Pajhwok): A Boeing 737 cargo aircraft carrying five crew members has disappeared from radar over the Arabian Sea while flying from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Karachi, Pakistan.
The Associated Press reported that the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said the cargo aircraft, operated by K2 Airways, reported a navigation system problem at 9:18pm local time on Tuesday.
According to radar data, the aircraft suddenly lost altitude and deviated from its flight path at around 9:21pm. Shortly afterwards, radio and radar contact was lost about 155 nautical miles (287 kilometres) west of Karachi.
The PAA said a rescue coordination centre was activated immediately after the aircraft disappeared and search and rescue operations were launched in the Arabian Sea with the support of relevant agencies.
Aviation expert Imran Aslam told ARY News the cause of the disappearance remained unclear. He said that even if both engines failed, an aircraft would normally continue gliding for some time, making such a sudden loss unusual.
Pakistani authorities said the navy and air force had deployed several ships and aircraft to search for the missing plane. A commercial vessel belonging to the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation is also participating in the operation.
K2 Airways is a private cargo airline based in Karachi that was established in 2018. Authorities said the cause of the aircraft’s disappearance had not yet been determined and the search operation was continuing.
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