Authorities have released details of the final communication between the crew of the K-2 Airways cargo aircraft and Karachi Air Traffic Control before the plane crashed into the Arabian Sea, shedding more light on the moments leading up to the accident.
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According to the available flight communication record, the pilot contacted Karachi Air Traffic Control at 16:17 UTC, reporting a navigation system malfunction and requesting radar vectoring to safely guide the aircraft. During the transmission, the captain also informed controllers that the aircraft was experiencing a rolling motion.
The communication was reportedly lost shortly after the crew sought assistance, prompting Karachi Air Traffic Control to activate the emergency response plan. Officials said the aircraft disappeared from radar moments after the distress communication.
The K-2 Airways cargo aircraft crashed into the Arabian Sea on July 7, 2026 while operating a scheduled cargo flight. Rescue and recovery operations were launched immediately following the incident as authorities began investigating the cause of the crash.
Five crew members were on board the aircraft at the time of the accident. They have been identified as Captain Muhammad Rizwan Idris, First Officer Faisal Mehmood, Loadmaster Muhammad Toufeeq, Engineer Arif Siddiqui, and Muhammad Hamid. All crew members belonged to Karachi.
Officials have confirmed that the aircraft first entered service in 1999. Aviation investigators are examining the flight data, maintenance records and air traffic control communications to determine the sequence of events that led to the crash.
Authorities have cautioned against drawing conclusions until the official investigation is completed. The inquiry is expected to focus on the reported navigation system malfunction, the aircraft’s flight performance and other technical and operational factors.
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The release of the final cockpit communication provides investigators with another important piece of evidence as they work to establish the exact cause of one of Pakistan’s recent aviation tragedies.