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K2 Airways cargo flight presumed crashed near Karachi after sudden altitude loss
K2 Airways flight KTA1732, operated by the carrier's lone Boeing 737-400 freighter, lost contact and is presumed crashed in the Arabian Sea following abrupt descent and navigation system issues.
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K2 Airways lost its sole Boeing 737 cargo plane after sudden loss of control and presumed crash west of Karachi, with all five crew missing.
K2 Airways flight KTA1732, a scheduled overnight cargo flight from Sharjah to Karachi, disappeared on July 7, 2026, after reporting navigation troubles while en route over the Arabian Sea. The flight was operated by K2 Airways' only aircraft, a 27-year-old Boeing 737-400 converted freighter, registered AP-BOI. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft encountered GNSS interference impacting its ADS-B signals, a problem reported to also affect other regional flights at the time. Once the plane moved beyond the interference zone, ADS-B tracking resumed normally as it crossed toward Pakistan.
During the flight's cruise phase toward Karachi, the on-board telemetry started showing erratic altitude changes. Initial data indicated a sudden descent followed by a brief climb, before the freighter suffered a catastrophic drop. The last ADS-B signal captured at 16:21 UTC placed the aircraft about 1,100 feet above sea level descending sharply at an extreme vertical rate of approximately 22,400 feet per minute, along with a reduced speed near 114 knots. This rapid descent and airspeed loss suggest a stall event resulting in loss of control.
Pakistani air traffic control confirmed the crew had communicated a navigation system malfunction at 21:18 local time (PST) to Karachi ACC. Controllers engaged in assisting the flight, but radar returns shortly afterward showed abrupt heading shifts and a steep dive. Contact with flight KTA1732 was lost entirely by 21:21 PST, roughly 155 nautical miles west of Karachi. A search and rescue mission involving multiple maritime agencies was immediately deployed but initially found no trace of wreckage or survivors.
AP-BOI was no stranger to extended service life and multiple operators. Originally delivered as a passenger 737-400 to Aeroflot in 1999, the aircraft later served Garuda Indonesia, TNT Airways, ASL Airlines Belgium, and FedEx Express. AerCap, a leasing company, acquired the aircraft before leasing it to K2 Airways in October 2024. The freighter underwent conversion from passenger to cargo configuration in 2012 and was equipped with two CFM56-3C1 engines. It had been the core asset supporting K2 Airways' cargo operations ever since.
The presumed crash of flight KTA1732 represents a significant loss for K2 Airways, depriving the airline of its sole operational freighter. Without AP-BOI, the carrier faces the challenge of suspending its dedicated cargo services between Sharjah and Karachi, critical to its business model. Pakistani authorities remain engaged in search efforts, though no debris has been recovered to confirm the exact crash location or cause.
The episodes of GNSS interference observed early in the flight may indicate wider regional issues affecting navigational systems that day, but whether this was a contributing factor in the aircraft's loss remains under investigation. The erratic telemetry leading to a probable stall highlights the risk of sudden control difficulties possibly linked to system failures.
With no emergency transmission beyond the initial navigation issue reported by the crew, the circumstances of the accident suggest a rapid onset event with little time for crew response. The aircraft's age and long operational history, including multiple conversions and operators, also raise potential considerations for mechanical integrity and maintenance review.
K2 Airways and regulatory bodies are expected to collaborate closely in the coming period to piece together data from radar, telemetry, and search assets. The outcome will be critical to improving safety insight for aging freighters and understanding vulnerabilities posed by electronic navigation disturbances.
This tragic incident underscores the operational risks faced by small airlines relying on single aircraft fleet types for cargo duties across geopolitically complex airspace. K2 Airways' immediate challenges will include maintaining service continuity, managing operational disruptions, and addressing the impact of losing its foundational freighter asset.
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K2 Airways Boeing 737 freighter lost over Arabian Sea after sudden altitude drops near Karachi
A K2 Airways Boeing 737 freighter is missing over the Arabian Sea after preliminary flight-tracking data showed a sudden loss of altitude southwest of Karachi, Pakistan. The aircraft, registered AP-BOI, was operating as K2 Airways Cargo Flight KTA1732 from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, to Karachi, Pakistan, on July 7, 2026, according to Flightradar24. Authorities launched a search effort after the aircraft did not arrive in Karachi as scheduled. Preliminary ADS-B data showed the aircraft lost altitude, climbed, and then suffered a second sudden and dramatic loss of altitude. The final ADS-B point received by Flightradar24 was recorded at 16:21 UTC, placing the aircraft at 1,100 feet above mean sea level with a reported vertical rate of -22,400 feet per minute. Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority said the aircraft reported a navigation system problem at 21:18 local time before radar data showed it rapidly descending and making a sharp heading change at about 21:21. Radar and radio contact were then lost about 155 nautical miles west of Karachi, according to the AP, citing Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority. The AP reported that five crew members were aboard the aircraft. AP-BOI is a Boeing 737-4M0(BDSF) that began service with K2 Airways in 2024. The aircraft originally entered service as a passenger aircraft with Aeroflot in 1999, later flew with Garuda Indonesia, and was converted to a freighter in 2012. K2 Airways is a privately owned Pakistani carrier based in Karachi. The airline was launched to serve regional passenger and cargo markets and received its air operator certificate in 2024. AP-BOI is listed as the carrier's sole aircraft. The aircraft and other traffic in the region experienced GNSS interference shortly after takeoff from Sharjah, which degraded data near Sharjah before the aircraft transitioned to multilateration tracking. Flightradar24 said ADS-B data was received again after the aircraft left the interference area. The aircraft remained missing late on July 7 as search efforts continued.
Dan-Air Flight 1008 Crashes Into Tenerife Mountain Killing All 146 Onboard
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