A private cargo aircraft carrying five crew members disappeared off the Karachi coast after losing contact with air traffic control during its flight from Sharjah.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) confirmed the incident occurred around 155 nautical miles west of Karachi, with the plane last seen cruising at 35,000 feet before abruptly descending.

Rescue efforts involving the Pakistan Navy, Air Force, and merchant vessels are ongoing, with the warship PNS Zulfiqar and a Saab surveillance aircraft deployed.

The cargo company identified the crew members as pilot Muhammad Rizwan Idris, first officer Faisal Mehmood, loadmaster Muhammad Taufiq, engineer Arif Siddiqui, and Muhammad Hamid.Flight data revealed the plane made a sudden U-turn and rapidly descended 34,000 feet within five minutes before vanishing from radar.No distress call was issued by the pilot, raising concerns about the emergency's rapid onset.

The incident echoes a 2010 crash of a Russian cargo aircraft in Karachi that killed all eight on board, highlighting the risks of aviation emergencies in the region.