K2 Airways has issued its first official statement after its cargo plane went missing while flying from Sharjah to Karachi, confirming that contact with the plane was lost on Tuesday night and that search and rescue efforts are underway.
According to the airline’s statement, the missing aircraft is a Boeing 737-400 cargo plane that was en route from Sharjah to Karachi when it lost communication with air traffic control.
The airline said contact with the aircraft was lost at 9:21pm Pakistan time on Tuesday. Five crew members were on board at the time of the incident.
K2 Airways identified the crew as Pilot-in-Command Muhammad Rizwan Idris, First Officer Faisal Mehmood, Load Master Muhammad Toufeeq Khan, Engineer Arif Siddiqui and Engineer Muhammad Hamid.
The airline said search and rescue operations are being carried out by the relevant authorities to locate the missing aircraft.
K2 Airways added that it is fully cooperating with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies involved in the ongoing operation.
The airline also expressed deep concern for the safety of its crew members and said its management is praying for their safe return.
What is K2 Airways?
K2 Airways is a private cargo airline headquartered in Karachi. The company was established in May 2018 after receiving its airline charter licence from the government.
The airline said it is cooperating with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies during the ongoing search operation.
What happens next?
Authorities have confirmed that all five people on board were crew members.
The Bureau of Air Safety Investigation will conduct a detailed investigation to determine what caused the aircraft to disappear. Officials have said the cause of the incident will only be established after the completion of the investigation.
Search and rescue operations remain underway as authorities continue efforts to locate the missing aircraft and its crew.
Read more: K2 Airways: What you need to know about missing cargo plane near Karachi?
