Boeing 737 Plane Vanishes After Terrifying Midair Plunge

A massive search-and-rescue operation is underway after a Boeing 737 cargo plane carrying five crew members vanished from radar off the coast of Pakistan following a series of alarming altitude changes and an extraordinarily steep final descent.

The Pakistan-registered aircraft, operated by K2 Airways, lost contact with air traffic controllers Tuesday night while flying from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Karachi, according to Pakistani aviation officials.

Early flight-tracking data suggested the 27-year-old converted freighter may have crashed into the Arabian Sea southwest of Karachi.

Shortly before communication was lost, the crew reported a problem with the plane’s navigation system at approximately 9:18 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time, or 12:18 p.m. Eastern Time.

Air traffic controllers attempted to guide the aircraft toward Karachi, but just three minutes later, radar showed the jet rapidly losing altitude. Communication with the crew then abruptly stopped.

The plane was approximately 287 kilometers, or 178 miles, west of Karachi when it disappeared, the Pakistan Airports Authority said.

Data released by Flightradar24 painted a disturbing picture of the aircraft’s final moments.

The plane reportedly plunged roughly 5,000 feet in less than a minute before suddenly climbing 6,000 feet in only 30 seconds. It then entered a dramatic dive from an altitude of 36,550 feet.

The final transmitted data point placed the jet just 1,100 feet above sea level and descending at a staggering rate of 22,400 feet per minute, equivalent to roughly 250 miles per hour.

Anthony Brickhouse, an aerospace safety consultant, cautioned against drawing conclusions from the limited information currently available.

“Anytime you see something extreme like that, it catches your eye, but it is too soon to say what any of it means without more information,” Brickhouse said.

Pakistani authorities said multiple agencies were participating in a coordinated search at sea for the missing plane and its five crew members.

K2 Airways said it was cooperating with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies as the search continued.

“We continue to pray, earnestly, for the safety of our colleagues,” the airline wrote in a Facebook statement.

Boeing did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The missing jet belongs to Boeing’s long-running 737 family, but it is two generations older than the 737 MAX aircraft involved in a major safety crisis in recent years.

The plane was K2 Airways’ only aircraft and had been operating with the carrier since 2024. Flightradar24 data showed that it had not flown since June 28 before departing on its final flight.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether wreckage has been located or what caused the aircraft to experience such violent changes in altitude before disappearing.