Cargo Plane Skids Off Runway at Hong Kong Airport, Killing Two Ground Staff

Tragedy struck early Monday at Hong Kong International Airport when an Emirates cargo plane skidded off the runway and plunged into the sea, killing two ground staff members.

Flight EK9788 from Dubai veered off course at around 3:50 a.m. local time, colliding with an airport patrol vehicle positioned near the runway. The two occupants of the vehicle, both experienced ground operators, died on the spot. The Boeing 747’s four crew members survived the crash.

Authorities launched a full investigation into the cause of the incident, calling it one of Hong Kong’s deadliest aviation accidents in years. Airport operations director Steven Yiu stated the patrol car had been “at a safe distance” when the plane unexpectedly turned toward the sea, broke through fencing, and struck the vehicle, pushing it into the water.

Rescue teams arrived quickly, and divers recovered the victims’ bodies. Photos showed the aircraft’s fuselage broken in half, with part submerged. An emergency slide deployed successfully, allowing the crew to escape.

Emirates confirmed the aircraft, operated under a wet lease by ACT Airlines, had “no cargo onboard” and that all crew were safe.

The Hong Kong Air Accident Investigation Authority has begun searching for the flight data and cockpit voice recorders believed to be underwater near the crash site. Eleven cargo flights were cancelled as one runway remained closed.

This is only the second deadly crash since Hong Kong’s airport relocated to Chek Lap Kok in 1998, the first occurring in 1999 during a typhoon.