A K2 Airways Boeing 737 cargo plane lost contact with air traffic controllers while flying from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Karachi on Tuesday night, prompting Pakistani authorities to launch a search and rescue operation.

The aircraft reported a navigation system issue shortly after take-off from Sharjah and received guidance from the Karachi Area Control Centre, according to the Pakistan Airports Authority.

Tracking data showed the plane at an altitude of about 1,100 feet before it recorded an unusually rapid descent, with a vertical rate of minus 22,400 feet per minute. The aircraft then disappeared from radar and communication links were lost.

Pakistan Civil Aviation authorities said the plane reported the navigation problem at 4:18pm UTC and lost contact three minutes later. The last known location placed the aircraft about 155 nautical miles west of Karachi.

The cargo aircraft was carrying five crew members, and various agencies have started a search operation.

Aviation safety consultant Anthony Brickhouse told Reuters that the sudden change in the aircraft’s flight data was concerning, but said investigators needed more information before drawing conclusions.

“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,” he said.

Aviation expert Imran Aslam told ARY News that the aircraft’s movement did not appear consistent with a typical engine failure, as planes usually glide rather than plunge suddenly after losing engine power.

K2 Airways said it was working with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies in the search effort. The airline said the aircraft was its only plane and joined its fleet in 2024.

The plane had not flown since 28 June before its final journey, according to Flightradar24 data. The airline said it was praying for the safety of its crew members.

If authorities confirm casualties, the incident would mark Pakistan’s first fatal air crash since 2020, when a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320 crashed near Karachi airport, killing 97 people.