Esther Imonmion
Two ground staff have died after a cargo plane skidded off the runway and plunged into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday morning.
The Emirates flight EK9788, operated by Turkish carrier ACT Airlines, was arriving from Dubai at about 03:50 local time (19:50 GMT) when it veered off the runway and struck an airport patrol vehicle before crashing into the sea.
Authorities confirmed that the two occupants of the patrol vehicle — aged 30 and 41 — were killed. Both had seven and twelve years of experience respectively. The four crew members onboard the Boeing 747-481 cargo aircraft survived.
Airport operations executive director Steven Yiu said the patrol vehicle had been travelling “at a safe distance from the runway” when the plane suddenly turned off course, breached the perimeter fencing, and collided with the vehicle, pushing it into the sea.
“Normally, the plane is not supposed to turn towards the sea,” Yiu said during a news conference. He added that the aircraft did not send a distress signal before landing and emphasized that the patrol car “definitely did not run out onto the runway.”
Divers later recovered the bodies of the two ground staff. Hong Kong’s transport bureau expressed sadness over their deaths and extended condolences to their families.
In a statement to the BBC, Emirates confirmed the aircraft “sustained damage on landing in Hong Kong,” noting that there was no cargo onboard and all four crew members were safe.
The flight was being operated under a wet lease arrangement, meaning the Turkish carrier provided the aircraft, crew, and insurance.
Images from the scene showed the aircraft broken in half, with part of the fuselage submerged in water. At least one emergency evacuation slide was deployed successfully. Fire service crews reached the scene within two minutes and rescued the crew, who had escaped via emergency exits.
The Hong Kong Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) said efforts were underway to recover the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, commonly known as black boxes.
Police said criminal investigations had not been ruled out.
The affected runway remained closed for the rest of the day, though the airport’s two other runways continued operating. At least 11 cargo flights scheduled for Monday were cancelled, according to the Airport Authority.
This is the second deadly aviation incident at Hong Kong International Airport since its relocation from Kai Tak to Chek Lap Kok in July 1998. The previous fatal crash occurred in August 1999, when a China Airlines flight crash-landed during a typhoon, killing three people.