At Hong Kong International Airport, two security officers lost their lives after a cargo plane arriving from Dubai veered off the runway during landing and crashed into a security patrol vehicle. The incident, which resulted in the Boeing 747 aircraft sliding into the sea, has been recorded as the city’s deadliest airport accident in the past 25 years.
Hong Kong Airport Authority Executive Director Steven Yiu stated that the security personnel were not breathing when they were pulled from the water—one died at the scene, and the other passed away at the hospital. It was reported that all four crew members on board the aircraft survived the accident.
In a statement made by Dubai-based Emirates Airlines, it was confirmed that the aircraft involved in the accident was a Boeing 747 operated by Turkish cargo carrier ACT Airlines. Emirates stated, “It has been confirmed that the crew members are safe and that there was no cargo on board the aircraft.”
The exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Yiu noted that weather conditions, runway surface, aircraft condition, and crew factors are the main focuses of the investigation. The incident occurred at around 3:50 a.m. Hong Kong time on Monday.
The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department announced that the aircraft “deviated from the northern runway after landing and plunged into the sea.” According to eyewitnesses, the plane stopped near the seawall, with part of its fuselage submerged. It was stated that the security patrol vehicle, which was on the runway at the time of the incident, was following its “normal route” and had not entered the runway area.
Flight Operations Continue
Officials reported that other runways at Hong Kong International Airport—one of the world’s busiest cargo hubs—were operating normally and that flights were unaffected. The northern runway is expected to reopen after safety inspections are completed.
It was announced that the Boeing 747 aircraft involved in the crash was 32 years old and had previously been used as a passenger plane before being converted into a freighter. ACT Airlines is known as a Turkey-based air cargo company that provides additional cargo capacity for major airlines.
Airport management stated that necessary support would be provided to the families of the deceased personnel. Yiu said, “Both of our employees were valuable team members who had served our airport for many years.”
