By Our Reporter
Two airport security personnel were killed early Monday when a Boeing 747 cargo plane skidded off the runway while landing at Hong Kong International Airport, crashing through a perimeter fence and striking a patrol car before plunging into the sea.
The accident occurred shortly before 4:00 a.m. local time (20:00 GMT Sunday) as the freighter, arriving from Dubai, attempted to land on the airport’s north runway — one of the world’s busiest cargo hubs.
According to Steven Yiu, Executive Director of Airport Operations at the Airport Authority Hong Kong, the aircraft veered off course immediately after touchdown, breached the airport’s outer fence, and slammed into a security patrol vehicle stationed on the other side. Both the aircraft and the patrol car ended up partly submerged in coastal waters bordering the runway.
Rescue teams, including divers, quickly responded to the scene. A 30-year-old airport worker was pronounced dead on site, while a 41-year-old colleague succumbed to injuries after being rushed to hospital. Authorities said both bodies were recovered from the submerged patrol car approximately five metres (16 feet) from shore.
Wreckage & Response
Footage from the scene showed the cargo plane partially submerged, with its tail section torn off, visible damage beneath the cockpit, and emergency slides deployed.
The aircraft, leased from and operated by Turkish freight carrier ACT Airlines on behalf of Emirates, was carrying four crew members, all of whom were taken to hospital for treatment.
Emirates confirmed the incident in a statement, extending condolences to the families of the victims and pledging full cooperation with investigators.
Investigation Underway
Mr. Yiu said a formal investigation has been launched to determine what caused the plane to leave the runway, calling it one of the most serious safety incidents since the airport began operations in 1998.
He added that weather and runway conditions were normal at the time of the landing, and the aircraft had not issued an emergency distress signal before the crash.
Hong Kong Police said they would not rule out opening a criminal investigation, pending preliminary findings.
Expert Analysis
Aviation safety consultant and pilot Tony Stanton said that investigators would already be interviewing the flight crew and analyzing data from the aircraft’s black boxes.
“This was something that happened very quickly and unexpectedly,” Stanton said. “Investigators will focus on the landing sequence, aircraft systems, and pilot actions to establish what went wrong.”
Authorities said operations at the airport were temporarily disrupted as emergency teams secured the area and assessed damage to the runway.
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