On an early Monday morning, an Emirates cargo plane veered off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport, tragically sliding into the sea and resulting in the deaths of two ground crew members, according to local authorities.
After touching down on the airport’s north runway, flight UAE9788, a Boeing 747-400 cargo aircraft originating from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, lost control and skidded into the sea around 3:50 a.m. The precise cause of this accident remains undetermined.
Tragically, two ground crew individuals in a nearby vehicle were dragged into the water. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while the second succumbed to injuries en route to the hospital, as confirmed by Hong Kong police.
Both the police department and the civil aviation authority have initiated investigations to determine the full circumstances of the crash and how the two victims ended up in the water.
Fortunately, all four flight crew members on board the aircraft were successfully rescued and transported to a local hospital for medical attention.
Following the incident, the airport’s north runway was immediately shut down by the Civil Aviation Department. Images from the scene depict the cargo plane partially submerged, though its reopening status as of Monday afternoon was not confirmed.
Authorities at the Civil Aviation Department reiterated that a comprehensive investigation is currently ongoing.
Emirates confirmed in a statement that the aircraft was leased from and operated by Act Airlines, a Turkish carrier. They also clarified that there was no cargo on board at the time of the accident.