KARACHI, Pakistan (Diya TV) — Pakistan’s navy and rescue teams continued searching the Arabian Sea on Thursday for five crew members missing after a cargo plane crashed into the water. However, rough seas, strong winds, and shifting currents slowed the operation as it entered its second day.

Officials recovered parts of the aircraft on Wednesday, but they did not find any of the missing crew members. Authorities said they will continue the search while investigators work to determine what caused the crash.

The aircraft belonged to private carrier K2 Airways. It was flying from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Karachi when it reported a navigation system malfunction. Soon afterward, it lost radio and radar contact late Tuesday, according to the Pakistan Airports Authority.

Search teams continued scanning waters about 300 kilometers (180 miles) southwest of Karachi. The aircraft disappeared from radar while approaching Pakistan’s largest city. Meanwhile, rescue crews faced difficult conditions because high waves and strong winds spread floating debris across a wide area.

The Pakistan Airports Authority said navy ships and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency recovered wreckage about 12 hours after the aircraft disappeared. Officials found the debris about 100 kilometers (60 miles) off Ormara, a coastal town in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province.

The authority also shared photographs on X showing rescue workers pulling pieces of the aircraft from the sea. Officials explained that ocean currents and rough weather pushed debris away from the crash area. As a result, crews faced added challenges while trying to locate the aircraft’s main fuselage and the missing crew.

Two officials familiar with the search said divers and rescue teams had not located the aircraft’s main body. They also confirmed that all five crew members remained missing. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.

K2 Airways identified the missing crew as Capt. Muhammad Rizwan Idris, First Officer Faisal Jatoi, flight engineers Muhammad Hamid and Muhammad Arif Siddiqui, and aircraft loader Muhammad Taufiq Khan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to use every available resource during the search. He also expressed sympathy for the families of the missing crew members and said the government would continue supporting rescue efforts.

Authorities said radar information showed the aircraft made a sharp turn before it rapidly lost altitude. Radar and radio contact ended around 9:21 p.m. Tuesday, about 287 kilometers (178 miles) west of Karachi. Investigators continue examining flight data and other evidence to determine what happened before the crash.

Retired Rear Adm. Faisal Shah said recovering the aircraft could take months or even years. He explained that the plane likely crashed in waters about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) deep. Therefore, investigators may need highly specialized equipment to reach the wreckage.

Shah also noted that floating debris does not always reveal the exact crash site. Instead, wind, waves, and ocean currents often carry wreckage far from where an aircraft enters the water. Because of those conditions, search teams must examine a much larger area.

He compared the operation with the long search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared in 2014. Despite years of international efforts, investigators have never conclusively located that aircraft.

Separately, Pakistan’s navy carried out another successful rescue mission on Thursday. A cargo dhow, a traditional wooden vessel used to transport goods across the Arabian Sea, began taking on water east of Ormara and sent a distress call.

The military said it quickly dispatched a naval ship and aircraft to the area. Rescue crews safely evacuated all 20 Pakistani crew members from the sinking vessel. Medical teams later treated the rescued sailors.

Pakistan has experienced several deadly aviation accidents over the years. In May 2020, a Pakistan International Airlines flight crashed into a residential neighborhood near Karachi airport while attempting to land. The accident killed 97 of the 99 people on board. A government investigation later found that mistakes by both the pilots and air traffic controllers caused the disaster.

For now, Pakistan’s rescue teams remain focused on locating the missing K2 Airways crew and recovering the aircraft. Even so, difficult weather and deep waters continue to make the operation slow and challenging.