A cargo aircraft originating from Dubai veered off the runway and plunged into the sea during its landing at Hong Kong International Airport, according to the airport’s management on Monday. Reports from local media outlets indicated that the mishap resulted in two fatalities. The airport’s northern runway, where the incident occurred, has been temporarily shut down, while the south and central runways remain operational.
The unfortunate event took place around 3:50 a.m. local time on Monday. The airport authorities confirmed that the aircraft was operating under an Emirates flight number. However, Emirates has yet to respond to requests for comments regarding the incident.
The aircraft involved in the accident was a Boeing 747 freighter, as per a social media post by Flightradar24, a flight-tracking service. The service also identified the aircraft as belonging to AirACT, a Turkish airline known for providing additional cargo capacity to major carriers. AirACT has not yet responded to requests for comments outside of their regular business hours.
The airport’s statement revealed that the four crew members aboard the aircraft were successfully rescued. Additionally, one ground staff member was also rescued, while another remains unaccounted for.
The South China Morning Post later reported that two men who were aboard the ground vehicle lost their lives, citing information from the police.
The incident has led to the temporary closure of the northern runway at Hong Kong International Airport. However, the south and central runways continue to function as normal, ensuring minimal disruption to the airport’s operations.
The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, with authorities working to determine the sequence of events that led to the aircraft veering off the runway and into the sea.