HONG KONG (AP) – A tragic incident occurred early Monday when a cargo aircraft skidded off a runway at Hong Kong International Airport, resulting in a collision with a security patrol car. Both vehicles fell into the sea, leading to the deaths of the two occupants in the patrol car, while the four crew members aboard the aircraft emerged unharmed.
The Boeing 747, operated by the Turkey-based ACT Airlines, was attempting to land around 3:50 a.m., having arrived from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This particular flight was operating under a wet lease arrangement for Emirates, the renowned long-haul airline based in Dubai. During a press conference, Steven Yiu, the executive director of airport operations, revealed that the plane’s captains did not seek assistance prior to landing. The aircraft had taxied approximately halfway down the runway before veering off to the left, ultimately colliding with the patrol car.
Yiu emphasized that the patrol car did not enter the runway prematurely, stating, “It was the plane that went off the runway and crashed into the patrol car outside the fence.” When rescue personnel arrived at the scene, the aircraft had broken into two sections and was found floating in the sea, with the four crew members waiting at the open door of the aircraft for rescue. Tong Sze-ho, acting senior assistant chief ambulance officer, confirmed that none of the crew members had sustained any apparent injuries.
Rescue efforts were initiated quickly, with divers entering the water to locate the two security workers trapped inside the patrol car. After approximately 40 minutes, rescuers successfully retrieved the victims. Local television footage later revealed the aircraft partially submerged just off the airport's seawall, with the front half, including the cockpit, visible above water and the tail section seemingly detached.
This accident took place on the north runway of Hong Kong’s airport, which is among the busiest in Asia. Following the incident, the north runway remained closed, while the two other runways continued to operate without any disruptions to flights, according to Yiu. Furthermore, the weather conditions at the time of the landing were reported as suitable, and an investigation into the cause of the crash is presently underway.
The Air Accident Investigation Authority has classified the incident as an accident, prompting an inquiry into numerous factors, including the flight’s systems, operations, and maintenance protocols. Investigators are in search of the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder to gather more insights into the events leading up to the crash.
Emirates Airlines clarified that the Boeing 747 freighter, designated as flight EK9788, was wet leased and operated by ACT Airlines. In a wet lease agreement, the leasing company provides not only the aircraft but also the crew, maintenance, and insurance. It was noted that there was no cargo onboard during the flight.
The aircraft involved was reported to be 32 years old, as per information from Flightradar24. Additionally, Hong Kong International Airport was constructed on reclaimed land, incorporating two smaller islands north of Lantau Island in the South China Sea, situated at the mouth of the Pearl River. The north runway, where the accident occurred, is located only a few hundred meters from the water's edge, with the other two runways positioned even nearer.
Emirates, predominantly recognized for its passenger flights originating from Dubai International Airport, which is the world’s busiest for international travel, also maintains a robust cargo operation at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. This latest cargo flight had originated from Al Maktoum, also known as DWC. The company recently reported in its annual report that it had expanded its fleet with two additional wet-leased Boeing 747s to fulfill increasing customer demand. Emirates operates a diverse fleet of approximately 260 aircraft, predominantly comprising Boeing 777s and double-decker Airbus A380s.
