Pakistan’s Navy and civilian authorities today expanded the search for the missing cargo plane. The search is still ongoing, according to three officials familiar with the rescue operation. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the possible crash.
They added that the vast search area in the Arabian Sea and rough monsoon seas were posing significant challenges to the search-and-rescue operation. Pakistan’s military and civilian agencies activated the Rescue Coordination Center and launched search-and-rescue operations at sea shortly after the aircraft went missing.
According to the officials, Pakistan Navy frigate PNS Zulfiqar was dispatched to the area where contact with the aircraft was lost. The Pakistan Air Force also deployed aircraft to assist in the search, while a Pakistan Navy ATR aircraft took off from the southwestern city of Turbat.
A merchant vessel operated by the Pakistan National Shipping Corp. also joined the operation, officials said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sympathy with the families of the five crew members, according to a statement from his office, and directed the government to deploy all available resources for the search effort.