HONG KONG – Two Hong Kong airport security officers lost their lives early Monday morning when a cargo plane from Dubai skidded off the runway upon landing at Hong Kong International Airport, colliding with their patrol vehicle and pushing it into the sea, authorities said.
The Boeing 747 freighter, operated by Turkish carrier ACT Airlines on behalf of Emirates, veered off runway 07L around 3:50 a.m. local time, making it the city’s deadliest airport incident in more than 25 years, according to officials at the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK).
Two Security Staff Killed as Plane and Vehicle Fall Into Sea
The aircraft came to rest partially submerged near the airport’s sea wall, with dramatic images showing the fuselage of the AirACT-liveried freighter split into sections, its escape slide deployed.
According to Steven Yiu, Executive Director of Airport Operations at AAHK, the two airport security officers were pulled from the water unconscious and not breathing.
“One was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other succumbed to injuries later at the hospital,” Yiu confirmed.
All four crew members aboard the Boeing 747 cargo jet survived the crash and managed to evacuate safely. No cargo was onboard at the time of the accident, Emirates said in a statement.
Pilot Reported No Technical Issues Before Landing
Preliminary details suggest that the flight, designated EK9788, had been cleared to land on the north runway. According to air traffic control recordings reviewed by Reuters, the pilot did not report any technical malfunctions before touchdown.
Minutes later, an air traffic controller was heard announcing, “An incident happened at the airfield just now.”
Man Ka-chai, Chief Accident and Safety Investigator for Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA), confirmed that the aircraft had been instructed to land on the north runway but had not issued any distress call.
“The aircraft suddenly veered left after landing and hit the patrol car, which was operating outside the runway fence in its designated zone,” Yiu said, emphasizing that the vehicle “definitely didn’t rush onto the runway.”
Investigation Underway into Runway Conditions and Weather
Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the crash. Factors under review include weather conditions, runway surface, aircraft integrity, and crew performance.
Yiu said investigators would work closely with Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department and the AAIA to determine how the aircraft deviated from the runway and ended up in the sea.
The Civil Aviation Department later confirmed in a statement that the cargo plane had “deviated from the north runway after landing and ditched into the sea.”
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Flights Operating Normally Despite North Runway Closure
Despite the fatal accident, airport operations remain unaffected.
“The south and central runways are operating normally,” Yiu said, adding that the north runway would reopen after thorough safety inspections are completed.
Hong Kong International Airport, the world’s busiest cargo hub, continues to process both passenger and freight traffic without delay, the Airport Authority confirmed.
Aircraft Was 32 Years Old, Converted from Passenger Jet
Data from flight-tracking platform FlightRadar24 shows the Boeing 747 involved was 32 years old and had originally served as a passenger aircraft before being converted into a freighter.
ACT Airlines, a Turkish cargo operator providing wet-lease services for global carriers, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Boeing also declined to issue an immediate statement regarding the incident.
Deadliest Airport Accident in Over Two Decades
Airport officials expressed deep sorrow over the loss of two veteran staff members who had served seven and twelve years, respectively, with the airport’s security division.
Yiu said the Airport Authority would extend full support and assistance to the victims’ families.
The crash marks the deadliest airport accident in Hong Kong since 1999, when a China Airlines flight crashed upon landing, killing three of the 315 people on board, according to the Aviation Safety Network.