HONG KONG: Two airport security staff lost their lives early Monday after a Boeing 747 cargo plane arriving from Dubai skidded off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport and collided with their security patrol vehicle, pushing it into the sea, the airport authority confirmed.
The ACT Airlines-operated aircraft, which was carrying no cargo and flying on behalf of Emirates, also ended up partially submerged in water, though all four crew members escaped safely. Airport operations chief Steven Yiu said both security officers were rescued from the water but were unresponsive; one was pronounced dead at the scene and the other later at a hospital.
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The incident — the deadliest at Hong Kong airport in over 25 years — occurred around 3:50 a.m. local time. Initial investigations suggest the plane suddenly veered left after landing on the north runway, striking the patrol car, which was operating in its designated area.
Authorities are probing the cause of the crash, including weather conditions, runway status, and aircraft systems. The Air Accident Investigation Authority confirmed that no distress signal had been received from the pilot before the crash.
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Photos from the scene showed the aircraft partially submerged near the airport’s sea wall, with its nose and tail sections separated. Despite the accident, airport flights continued normally, with the north runway temporarily closed for safety checks, while the south and central runways remained operational.
Emirates confirmed the aircraft involved was flight EK9788, a Boeing 747 freighter leased from ACT Airlines, adding that no cargo was onboard and all crew were safe. The two victims, who had worked at the airport for seven and twelve years, are being remembered by colleagues, and authorities have pledged full support for their families. This marks Hong Kong’s worst airport tragedy since 1999, when a China Airlines flight crash-landed, killing three passengers.