Cargo plane plunges into sea during landing at Hong Kong airport, killing two

A cargo aircraft arriving from Dubai veered off the runway and plunged into the sea while landing at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday morning, according to the airport authority.

Images circulating after the crash showed a Boeing 747 freighter operated by Turkey’s ACT Airlines under Emirates’ flight code, partially submerged near the airport’s seawall. The plane’s nose and tail were torn apart, and an emergency slide was seen deployed.

All four crew members on board were rescued, but two people working in a ground vehicle believed to have been hit by the aircraft were killed, the South China Morning Post reported, citing police sources. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the fatalities.

The accident occurred at around 3:50 a.m. local time (1950 GMT Sunday). The airport’s northern runway, where the incident took place, has been closed, though operations continue on the central and southern runways.

Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said the aircraft “deviated from the north runway after landing and ended up in the sea,” adding that two ground staff “fell into the water” and their conditions were being verified.

Emirates confirmed that its flight EK9788, a Boeing 747 cargo jet leased from and operated by ACT Airlines, suffered damage during landing. The airline said no cargo was on board and all crew members were safe.

ACT Airlines, based in Turkey, provides freight capacity to major carriers. It did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside office hours.

Flight-tracking service FlightRadar24 reported that the aircraft was 32 years old, having originally served as a passenger jet before being converted into a freighter.

The Civil Aviation Department said it had notified Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority, which will lead an inquiry into the crash.

Reuters