A cargo plane flying from Dubai skidded off the runway into the sea while landing at Hong Kong International Airport early on Monday, leaving two people dead and prompting the closure of one of the airport’s runways.
The Boeing 747 freighter, operated by Turkish carrier ACT Airlines on behalf of Emirates, overshot the northern runway at around 3:50 a.m. local time (1950 GMT Sunday) and came to rest partially submerged in water near the airport’s sea wall.
Photographs from the scene showed the aircraft bearing AirACT livery, with its nose and tail sections separated and an emergency slide deployed.
According to Hong Kong airport authorities, all four crew members on board were rescued and are safe. However, two people in a ground vehicle near the runway were killed after the aircraft reportedly struck the vehicle, the South China Morning Post reported, citing police sources.
Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department confirmed that the plane had “deviated from the north runway after landing and ditched into the sea.” It added that “two ground staff were affected and fell into the sea, and their conditions are pending confirmation.”
Emirates said in a statement that flight EK9788, a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft wet-leased from ACT Airlines, “sustained damage on landing in Hong Kong.” The airline confirmed that no cargo was on board and that all crew members were safe.
The northern runway at the airport, one of the world’s busiest cargo hubs, has been closed following the incident, while the south and central runways remain operational.
Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 reported that the 32-year-old aircraft had previously served as a passenger plane before being converted into a freighter.
Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said it had notified the Air Accident Investigation Authority, which will lead an inquiry into the cause of the crash.
