Ill-fated cargo plane had expired insurance

Insurance coverage for K-2 Airways aircraft expired 13 days before July 7 crash

KARACHI:

The insurance policy of the K-2 Airways cargo aircraft that crashed into the deep sea near Gwadar on July 7 had allegedly expired at the time of the accident, raising questions about how the aircraft was allowed to operate without renewed insurance coverage.

According to a document that has surfaced regarding the insurance of the ill-fated aircraft, its coverage expired on June 24, 2026, approximately 13 days before the crash.

The insurance certificate had been issued on June 24, 2025, and was valid for one year, according to sources familiar with the matter. The document shows that the aircraft had 100 per cent all-risk insurance coverage. It also lists 100 per cent coverage for aircraft liability, spares, engine, hijacking and other risks.

According to the insurance document, the aircraft was insured worldwide, except for certain specified areas.

The reported expiry of the insurance has raised questions about the aircraft's operational status at the time of the accident, particularly whether its insurance had been renewed before the crash. Questions have also been raised about the role of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), including how the aircraft could have been considered airworthy without renewed insurance coverage and under which provision of aviation regulations it was permitted to operate after its insurance policy expired.

The issue is significant because insurance coverage is among the regulatory and operational requirements for aircraft operation. When approached for its position on the matter, CAA officials said the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) issued to the airline was available with the authority.

However, they declined to comment specifically on the insurance issue, saying that all relevant records were currently with the investigative board probing the crash.

They did not definitively explain if the aircraft's insurance had been renewed after June 24, 2026, or under what regulatory provision it was allowed to operate if the coverage had indeed expired. The document and the questions arising from it are expected to form part of the broader examination of the circumstances surrounding the July 7 crash near Gwadar.