Two individuals lost their lives when a cargo plane, originating from Dubai, veered off the runway and crashed into the sea during its landing at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday, as per airport officials.
The incident occurred at approximately 3:50 am local time (1950 GMT Sunday) involving a Boeing 747 freighter operated by the Turkish cargo carrier AirACT under an Emirates flight designation, according to airport authorities quoted by Reuters.
The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) confirmed that the aircraft overshot the northern runway during landing and ended up partially submerged near the airport perimeter.
“The northern runway at Hong Kong International Airport is closed following the incident,” stated the authority, noting that the south and central runways were still operational.
Rescue operations were promptly initiated, with local broadcaster TVB reporting that four crew members and one ground staff were rescued, while one person remained unaccounted for following the crash.
Tragically, the South China Morning Post reported that two men in a ground vehicle struck during the accident lost their lives, as confirmed by the police. Flightradar24, a flight-tracking website, identified the aircraft as a Boeing 747 freighter registered to AirACT, providing additional capacity for major airlines.
The Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong has initiated a formal investigation to ascertain the cause of the crash. Emirates clarified that the damaged aircraft, flight EK9788, was a Boeing 747 cargo plane leased from and operated by ACT Airlines, with the crew reported safe and no cargo onboard.
Despite the crash, there were no reports of fire as the plane came to a halt in shallow waters near the airport’s western seawall.
The investigation continues, with contributions from various agencies.