Seawall Smash: Emirates Cargo Jet Skids Off Hong Kong Runway, Killing Two Airport Workers
HONG KONG—A tragic and unprecedented accident struck Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) early Monday morning when a cargo jet skidded off the runway and plunged into the adjacent sea, killing two airport ground personnel.
The disaster occurred around 3:50 a.m. local time on the airport’s north runway, which has since been closed for investigation.
The Deadly Runway Excursion
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 747-481BDSF freighter, operating as Flight EK9788 for Emirates SkyCargo from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. The plane, which was being operated under a wet lease by Turkish carrier ACT Airlines, was not carrying cargo at the time.
- Fatal Collision: According to airport officials, shortly after touching down, the aircraft veered sharply to the left, crashed through the perimeter fence, and struck a security patrol vehicle that was operating on a road outside the runway boundary.
- Ground Casualties: The force of the impact pushed the vehicle into the sea. Rescue teams found the two security staff members trapped in the submerged car. The men, aged 30 and 41, were confirmed dead, one at the scene and the other shortly after being rushed to North Lantau Hospital.
- Aircraft Survival: All four crew members aboard the freighter survived the crash and were rescued by fire services. Images showed the plane partially submerged with its fuselage broken into two sections near the sea wall.
Steven Yiu, Executive Director of Airport Operations, emphasized that the patrol car was in its proper, “safe distance” area. He stated that the aircraft’s deviation was not a normal path, and investigators are baffled as the plane did not send a distress signal and did not respond to air traffic control immediately before the crash.
The Investigation and Airport Status
The Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) has classified the case as an accident and launched a full investigation. Their priority is to recover the Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder from the submerged wreckage to determine what caused the aircraft to veer off the runway.
The North Runway remains closed. However, officials confirmed that the airport’s two other runways are fully operational, minimizing major disruption to the flow of passenger traffic at one of Asia’s busiest aviation hubs.
Conclusion
Monday’s deadly runway excursion is a profound tragedy for the HKIA community and marks one of the most serious incidents since the airport opened in 1998. The fact that the massive cargo jet collided with ground personnel who were carrying out routine security duties underscores the severe, unpredictable risks in airside operations. As the AAIA works to solve the mystery of the abrupt deviation, the aviation world mourns the loss of the two ground staff and awaits findings that could potentially change ground safety protocols globally.
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Disclaimer
The information regarding the accident, fatalities, and aircraft details is based on official statements from the Hong Kong Airport Authority and Emirates (https://www.emirates.com/). The cause of the collision is under investigation by the Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA), and the determination of fault is pending the final report.
