Cargo Plane Skids Off Hong Kong Runway, Two Airport Staff Killed

HONG KONG – Two airport security staff were killed early Monday morning after a Boeing 747 cargo plane skidded off a runway at Hong Kong International Airport, collided with their patrol vehicle, and pushed it into the sea. The incident marks the deadliest accident at the aviation hub in more than 25 years.

The aircraft, which had arrived from Dubai, was partially submerged in the water. All four crew members aboard the plane escaped safely. The fatal accident occurred around 3:50 a.m. local time. The flight was operated by Turkish freight carrier ACT Airlines on behalf of Emirates. According to Airport Authority Hong Kong executive director Steven Yiu, the two security officers were patrolling a road outside the runway fence—their normal operating area—when the crash occurred.

“The airplane suddenly veered left after landing on the runway before hitting the car, which wasn’t a normal path,” Yiu stated. The security staff were retrieved from the water unconscious. One was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other later died at the hospital. The deceased staff members had worked at the airport for seven and 12 years, respectively.

Man Ka-chai, the chief accident and safety investigator, confirmed air traffic control had directed the flight to land on the north runway (07L), but the pilot did not report any technical issues on the available air traffic control recording prior to the incident. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash, focusing on factors including weather, runway conditions, the aircraft’s mechanics, and the aircrew.

The incident involved a 32-year-old Boeing 747, a model that had been converted from a passenger plane into a freighter. Photos taken at the scene show the aircraft with ACT Airlines livery partially submerged near the sea wall, with the nose and tail sections visibly separated.

Airport operations confirmed that the main airport has not been affected, with the south and central runways operating normally. The north runway, where the accident happened, will reopen following safety inspections. The last deadly airport incident in Hong Kong occurred in 1999, when a China Airlines flight crashed on landing, killing three people.