Hong Kong: A cargo aircraft skidded off a runway into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday, killing two people.
The Boeing 747, operated by Turkey-based ACT Airlines, was landing around 3:50 am local time after arriving from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The aircraft had been leased from Emirates, a long-haul carrier based in Dubai.
Four crew members on board were rescued and taken to a hospital, while initial police reports indicated that two people in an airport ground vehicle were killed in the incident.
Emirates confirmed that the Boeing 747 freighter, operating as EK9788, was wet-leased and flown by ACT Airlines. In wet leases, the leasing airline provides the aircraft along with crew, maintenance, and insurance. Emirates stated that there was no cargo on board at the time of the accident.
Local broadcasters in Hong Kong showed the aircraft partially submerged just off the airport’s sea wall, with the front half and cockpit visible above water, while the tail appeared to have broken off.
The crash occurred on the north runway, one of the busiest at Hong Kong International Airport. The runway remains closed, although the airport’s two other runways continue to operate normally.
Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said it is actively following up with the airlines and other parties involved in the crash.
Emirates, primarily known for its passenger flights from Dubai International Airport—the world’s busiest airport for international travel—also operates a significant cargo business from Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC). The ACT Airlines flight had taken off from DWC.
In its most recent annual report, Emirates, owned by a sovereign wealth fund in Dubai, noted that it had added two wet-leased Boeing 747s “to serve surging customer demand.” The airline’s fleet comprises around 260 aircraft, mostly Boeing 777s or double-decker Airbus A380s, with both passenger and cargo operations.
The airline has plans to invest USD 35 billion in improving Al Maktoum International Airport over the coming decade to support its growing cargo and passenger operations.
With PTI inputs