Hong Kong: Cargo plane skids off runway into sea; two ground staff killed

Police told the Hong Kong Free Press that a male staff member in a ground patrol vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, while another succumbed to injuries later at North Lantau Hospital.

The incident occurred around 3:50 a.m. when Emirates SkyCargo Flight EK9788 (UAE9788), operated by Turkish carrier Air ACT, was landing after a flight from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport.

All four crew members aboard the Boeing 747-481 were rescued and taken to hospital with no serious injuries, authorities said. Emirates confirmed there was no cargo on board at the time of the incident.

In a statement, the Airport Authority (AA) said: “At around 0350hrs, cargo flight UAE9788 flying from Dubai to Hong Kong skidded off the North Runway into the sea after landing. Rescue operations commenced immediately following the incident.”

The AA added that the Airport Emergency Centre had been activated and that the North Runway remained closed pending a safety assessment. The South and Centre runways continue to operate normally.

Officials said the runway was deemed safe for operations prior to the incident. Investigations are underway, and authorities have not ruled out a criminal probe.

This is the second fatal aviation accident at the airport since its opening in 1998. In 1999, a China Airlines jet crashed during a typhoon, killing three people.