Faisal Jatoi, the Pakistani co-pilot of a K2 Airways cargo plane that crashed into the Arabian Sea, remains missing along with four others, as rescue teams continued search operations on Thursday. His family endured an agonising wait for news after the Boeing 737 freighter went down off Pakistan's southern coast on Tuesday night.
Crash Details and Family's Ordeal
The aircraft, a 27-year-old Boeing 737-400 converted freighter, was en route from Sharjah in the UAE to Karachi when it disappeared from radar. Jatoi's father-in-law, Ghulam Nabi Bahrani, told Reuters that the family became alarmed when they could not reach him. A Google search revealed the word 'crash', leading to a moment of despair. 'That moment felt like doomsday for us,' Bahrani said at his home in Karachi.
Jatoi leaves behind a wife and a two-year-old son. The aircraft had spent 10 days in Sharjah for repairs after delivering cargo, awaiting a spare part from the United States before the crew could return, Bahrani added.
Technical Issues and Search Efforts
The Pakistan Airports Authority reported that the plane communicated a navigational problem at 9:18 pm Pakistan time (1618 GMT) on its way to Karachi. Flightradar24 data showed erratic altitude changes before a steep descent. Rescuers located the wreckage 53 nautical miles (98 km) south of Ormara port on Wednesday. Navy and maritime security teams are now searching for the flight recorders to determine the cause of the crash.
K2 Airways confirmed that five people were on board: two pilots, two engineers, and one support staff member. Their status has not been officially declared.
Challenges in Recovery
A Pakistani aviation expert, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, described the recovery operation as potentially among the most difficult in Pakistan's recent history. Water depths in parts of the Arabian Sea range from about 2,500 to more than 3,500 metres. Strong currents, poor visibility, uneven seabed terrain, and changing sea states could complicate efforts to recover submerged wreckage and flight recorders.
The search continues as families await news of their loved ones.
