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.