A cargo plane flying from Dubai skidded off the runway into the sea while landing at Hong Kong International Airport early on Monday, the airport operator said, with local media reporting two fatalities.
Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said in a statement that the aircraft had “deviated from the north runway after landing and ditched into the sea.” The incident occurred around 3:50 am Hong Kong time (1950 GMT on Sunday).
Photos taken after the accident showed a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft with AirACT livery partially submerged in water near the airport’s sea wall, with an escape slide deployed and the nose and tail sections separated.
Four crew members on board the plane were rescued, the airport said in a statement. Two people inside a ground vehicle near the runway, believed to have been struck by the aircraft, died, the South China Morning Post reported, citing police. Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Hong Kong International Airport said the northern runway remained closed after the incident, while the south and central runways continued to operate.
Emirates confirmed that flight EK9788, a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft wet-leased from and operated by ACT Airlines, sustained damage on landing. “Crew are confirmed to be safe and there was no cargo onboard,” the airline said.
ACT Airlines, a Turkish carrier that provides extra cargo capacity to major airlines, did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside normal business hours.
Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 noted the aircraft involved was 32 years old and had previously served as a passenger plane before being converted into a freighter.
The Civil Aviation Department said it had reported the incident to Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority, which will lead the investigation, and pledged full support.
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