HONG KONG — Two airport staff were killed early Monday after a cargo plane operated by Turkish carrier ACT Airlines skidded off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and crashed into the sea.
The Boeing aircraft, arriving from Dubai, went off course at around 3:50 a.m. local time, breaking into two as it overshot the runway.
Video footage showed the plane’s tail section detached and its front portion heavily damaged, partially submerged in the water.
“Unfortunately, an airport security patrol car was at the site at that time. The aircraft collided with the patrol car and pushed it into the sea,” said Steven Yiu, HKIA Executive Director of Airport Operations. Both occupants of the patrol car were killed.
Four crew members aboard the plane were rescued and brought to nearby hospitals for treatment. Officials said the aircraft made no distress call before landing.
“We did not receive any request for assistance from the pilots,” said Wesley Yung, technical chief at the Civil Aviation Department.
More than 200 personnel, along with fire engines and rescue boats, responded to the crash.
Operations on the airport’s north runway were suspended while recovery efforts continued, though officials said other flights remain unaffected.
The flight carried an Emirates flight number, but the airline clarified that it had wet-leased the aircraft and crew from ACT Airlines.
“Crew are confirmed to be safe and there was no cargo onboard,” an Emirates spokesperson said.
Fatal aviation accidents are rare at Hong Kong International Airport, one of the world’s busiest hubs.
The last major crash occurred in 1999, when a China Airlines jet overturned during a typhoon, killing two and injuring more than 200 passengers.