Incident on Landing
Early on Monday morning at Hong Kong International Airport, a cargo aircraft veered off its landing path and plunged into the sea just beyond the runway. The accident occurred at around 3.50 a.m. local time on the airport’s north runway.
Aircraft, Flight and Crew Details
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 747‑400F freighter, wet-leased and operated for Emirates by ACT Airlines, arriving from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport. The plane was reported to have no cargo aboard. Four crew members aboard survived the accident without serious injury.
Ground Staff Fatalities
Tragically, two airport security/patrol vehicle staff lost their lives when the aircraft struck their vehicle outside the runway boundary and carried it into the sea. One individual died immediately at the scene, the other later in hospital. The vehicle was operating outside the fence but was impacted by the excursion of the aircraft.
Airport Operations and Immediate Response
The north runway was closed temporarily following the accident, though the other two runways at the airport remained operational and passenger services were largely unaffected. Emergency services responded swiftly, with rescue divers locating the submerged car and recovering the staff after about 40 minutes.
Preliminary Investigations
Investigators with the Air Accident Investigation Authority and Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department have launched inquiries into the cause of the crash. Early indications suggest that weather and runway conditions were normal at the time of landing. The aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have yet to be recovered from the water.
Broader Implications
Although the aircraft carried no cargo and the crew were unharmed, the fatal loss of ground staff and the dramatic nature of the accident raise significant questions about safety margins at busy hub airports, especially those with runways adjacent to water. The incident may prompt reviews of vehicle-access zones near runways and emergency response protocols.
