Pakistani authorities launched a large-scale search and rescue operation after a Boeing cargo aircraft carrying five crew members went missing over the Arabian Sea while approaching Karachi.
The aircraft, operated by private airline K2 Airways, lost contact with air traffic controllers after reporting a navigational problem during its flight from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, to Karachi, Pakistan. A joint effort is being made by the Pakistani forces including the Navy, Air Force, and aviation authorities among others to find the missing plane. However, it has not been easy due to adverse weather conditions.
Flight Loses Contact After Reporting Technical Issue
According to the aviation officials, the Boeing 737 cargo plane was about to enter Pakistani airspace when the pilot informed that there is some issue with the navigation system of the aircraft. Air traffic controllers tried to help the flight while they were still in contact.
Officials said that the plane was last spotted by radar about 155 nautical miles away from Karachi. However, prior to the disappearance, the radar information showed that the plane had gone through some unusual activity such as a sharp drop in altitude. It is not clear why this happened but this has to be investigated thoroughly.
Five Crew Members Reported On Board
The officials have stated that there were five crew members in the missing plane. At present, the search mission is being conducted to find out the whereabouts of the missing plane and the status of the people on board.
The families of the crew members are waiting for more details regarding the issue. The government has ordered relevant departments to utilize all the resources available for conducting the search mission.
Challenging Conditions Hamper Rescue Efforts
The search is taking place in the Arabian Sea during Pakistan’s monsoon season, when strong winds, rough waves and reduced visibility can create major difficulties for maritime rescue operations.
The officials participating in the rescue mission have identified that the large scope of the search area and difficult sea conditions are some of the biggest challenges that have come up during the search mission. Various naval ships and aircrafts have been mobilized to aid the process.
Investigation Begins Into Cause of Disappearance
While the cause of the accident has not been confirmed by the authorities, the team of investigators is set to consider many different angles as the possible reasons behind this, including technical malfunction, weather, poor communication, and other problems.
Aviation experts have pointed out that the sudden loss of communication between the plane and the air traffic controller after indicating navigational problems poses many unanswered questions. These would only be clarified after conducting an investigation into the matter.
The coming hours will be critical as search teams attempt to locate possible wreckage and gather evidence. If the aircraft is found, investigators will begin the process of examining the remains to determine the cause of the incident. For now, Pakistan’s aviation authorities, rescue agencies and security forces remain engaged in one of the country’s most challenging maritime search operations in recent years.
This is a developing story.
Sources: Al Jazeera, and DAWN News.
