Boeing 747 Cargo Plane Crashes Into Sea at Hong Kong Airport, Killing Two in Security Vehicle

Emirates airlines confirmed there was no cargo onboard and the crew were safe.

Hong Kong:

In what appeared to be a scene from a Final Destination movie, a cargo plane collided with a security vehicle during its landing attempt at Hong Kong airport, subsequently veering off the runway into the sea, resulting in two fatalities.

Video footage captured the accident aftermath, showing the aircraft's visibly fractured fuselage partially submerged in the waters surrounding the airport, with its distinctive green tail section detached and emergency evacuation slides deployed.

The footage also revealed police patrol boats circling the wreckage while authorities employed cranes and tow trucks in their search for the aircraft's "black box" - the recording devices that could provide critical insights into the incident's cause.

The Boeing 747 cargo aircraft, which had arrived at Hong Kong International Airport from Dubai at approximately 4 am on Monday, skidded off the runway and crashed through a perimeter fence, according to airport officials.

Officials clarified that the patrol car was not on the runway when the accident occurred. Instead, the aircraft struck the security vehicle, which was positioned outside the fence, pushing it into the water.

"The cargo plane went off from the north runway upon landing and crashed through the fence and into the sea," stated Steven Yiu, executive director of airport operations at Airport Authority Hong Kong. Rescue teams recovered two men from the submerged vehicle, which was approximately five metres (16 feet) from shore. Tragically, a 30-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, while his 41-year-old colleague died after being transported to hospital.

The incident at the world's busiest cargo airport involved an aircraft operated by Turkish carrier ACT Airlines, temporarily leased by Emirates.

Emirates airlines stated that no cargo was being transported and confirmed the safety of all crew members.

Officials have initiated an investigation into the crash, which represents one of the most serious incidents since the airport began operations in 1998.

This accident occurred at the airport's northernmost and newest runway, part of an $18 billion expansion project completed last year.

Officials provided a diagram illustrating how the plane suddenly turned left halfway down the runway length. They noted that the aircraft did not transmit any emergency signal and failed to respond when contacted by radio from the airport.

Hong Kong's airport processed 4.9 million tonnes of cargo in 2024 and was designated the world's busiest cargo airport by Airports Council International (ACI) World in April.

The airport's north runway was temporarily closed following the incident, while the two remaining runways continued normal operations.