Pictures courtesy of Flightradar24

 

A SkyCargo Boeing 747 operated by Turkish carrier Air ACT crashed into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport early morning after running off the runway during landing. The incident has left two airport workers missing and temporarily closed one of the airport’s main runways.

 

The cargo aircraft, operating as flight EK9788 from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), landed on Runway 07R at around 03:53, local time, on 20 October. During the landing roll, the plane reportedly veered left, breached the seawall and came to rest partially submerged in water. The four crew members on board escaped without injury.

 

According to authorities, the Boeing 747-481 (BDSF), registered TC-ACF, struck a ground-service vehicle during the incident, shearing off one of its wheels. Two airport staff members inside the vehicle remain unaccounted for. Fire, marine and Government Flying Service units have launched an extensive search and rescue operation involving boats and helicopters.

 

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the aircraft’s path deviating sharply to the left shortly after touchdown. A Cathay Pacific flight, CX851, which was approaching the same runway behind the aircraft, was forced to abort its landing.

 

The Airport Authority Hong Kong has suspended operations on the north runway while investigators assess damage and remove debris. Emergency services were deployed immediately after the crash and the airport continues to operate on a limited basis using its south runway.

 

Initial reports suggest no signs of fire or explosion, and there were no passengers on board the freighter. The Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong and international aviation safety authorities have begun a formal investigation. Airport officials are expected to release preliminary findings in the coming days.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• A SkyCargo Boeing 747 operated by Air ACT crashed into the sea after veering off the runway at Hong Kong Airport.

• Two airport workers are missing after their ground-service vehicle was struck during the incident.

• The north runway remains closed as rescue and investigation efforts continue. 
 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Flightradar24 2025-10-20

 

 

 

UPDATE

Two Dead After Cargo Plane Crashes Into Sea at Hong Kong Airport

 

Picture courtesy of Air Nav

 

Two people have been confirmed dead after a SkyCargo Boeing 747 operated by Turkish carrier Air ACT slid off the north runway at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday morning, striking a ground vehicle and plunging into the sea. The crash has forced the temporary closure of the airport’s north runway and prompted a major emergency response.

 

The accident occurred at around when flight EK9788, arriving from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), veered off the runway while landing. According to police, the aircraft is believed to have hit a ground-service vehicle before breaching the seawall and coming to rest almost fully submerged in the waters off the airport.

 

Authorities said the Boeing 747 freighter failed to stop in time and struck the vehicle, knocking it into the sea. Two men were initially reported missing after the crash. A 30-year-old man was later confirmed dead at the scene, while a second man, aged 41, was taken to North Lantau Hospital and pronounced dead.

 

All four crew members on board the cargo aircraft escaped unharmed. No passengers were involved, as the flight was a freighter service. The incident occurred on Runway 07R, which has since been closed to allow investigators and emergency teams to recover debris and assess damage.

 

The Hong Kong Government Flying Service deployed helicopters and marine vessels to assist in the rescue operation. Fire and airport emergency units were also dispatched to the scene within minutes of the crash.

 

The cause of the incident remains under investigation by the Civil Aviation Department and the Airport Authority Hong Kong. Aviation experts say the probe will likely examine weather conditions, aircraft braking systems, and pilot communications during landing.

 

Operations at Hong Kong International Airport are continuing on a reduced schedule, with the south runway handling diverted traffic. Airport officials have expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said full support will be provided to those affected.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Two men were killed after an Emirates SkyCargo Boeing 747 slid off the runway and hit a ground vehicle at Hong Kong Airport.

• The freighter came to rest in the sea, but all four crew members escaped unharmed.

• The airport’s north runway remains closed as investigations and recovery operations continue.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from SCMP 2025-10-20

 

 

 

That sucks my condolences to the bereaved.

UPDATE
Boeing 747 Cargo Plane Crashes Into Sea at Hong Kong Airport

 

Pictures courtesy of Reuters

 

A cargo aircraft operated by Turkish carrier Air ACT on behalf of Emirates SkyCargo crashed into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday, killing two airport ground workers. The Boeing 747-481, operating as flight EK9788 from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport, veered off the north runway shortly after landing around 03:53 local time. The four crew members on board were rescued uninjured, while two men in a ground patrol vehicle were pronounced dead, one at the scene and the other later at North Lantau Hospital.

 

Police said the out-of-control aircraft struck the patrol vehicle during landing, throwing both workers into the sea. According to reprts, the collision tore off a wheel. FlightRadar24 data indicated the 747 veered left approximately 5,000 feet from the runway threshold, travelling at 90 knots before entering the sea wall area at 49 knots. The final data transmission showed a speed of 43 knots as the aircraft hit the water, severing its tail section.

 

Local media confirmed the crash occurred on the airport’s north runway, which remained closed throughout Monday morning as investigations continued. Air Crash Investigators will interview the flight crew, air traffic controllers and examine flight data and voice recorders to determine the cause of the incident. Experts noted that while the airport is undergoing extensive construction, the work is unlikely to have contributed to the crash, as landing crews are highly trained for such conditions.

 

ACT Airlines, based in Turkey, operates a fleet of four Boeing 747 freighters. The operator handles numerous cargo services for international clients, including Emirates SkyCargo. Visual evidence from the crash site showed the aircraft’s fuselage resting along the seawall, partially submerged.

 

Further updates from investigators are expected once the flight recorders are analysed. The north runway is expected to reopen once safety inspections are complete and debris cleared. Authorities are continuing to review operational safety measures following the deaths of the two ground staff and the destruction of the aircraft.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Two airport ground workers were killed when an Emirates SkyCargo Boeing 747 operated by Air ACT veered off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport.

• The cargo aircraft crashed into the sea after striking a patrol vehicle during landing; all four crew members survived.

• Investigators are analysing flight recorders and interviewing personnel to determine the cause of the crash.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Loyaltylobby 2025-10-20

 

 

 

A bit of background to this.  HKIA is well known in the aviation community as being difficult to land at due to wind shear.  It's quite windy just now, with a strong wind alert in force predicting possible gale force gusts.

 

On September the 8th this year, an HKExpress jet veered off the runway and hit some airfield infrastructure - windy conditions then too.

 

 

A couple of flights ago the pilot on the A320neo I was on did a go-around, and told the passengers it was due to a wind gust that led to the aircraft lifting, meaning that the touch down would have been too far down the runway.  Calm landing 2nd time around.

 

I got chatting with a training captain from a major airline a couple of years ago; he said that bringing trainee pilots to Hong Kong was embedded in their procedures due to the weather conditions here.

 

Of course, there could have been something else that went wrong with this flight, as is typical in aviation the details will get into the public domain in due course.

 

For now?  RIP to the 2 workers who passed away.

...Hmm...No Mention Of The Nature Of The Cargo... (?)

EK is the designator for Emirates. I trust they will be paying compensation to the families.

36 minutes ago, SOTIRIOS said:

...Hmm...No Mention Of The Nature Of The Cargo... (?)

It is being reported that there was no cargo on board.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y0eeqz732o

 

The latest local news article is this.

https://www.thestandard.com.hk/hong-kong-news/article/314573/Video-Footage-shows-cargo-plane-floating-in-sea-after-fatal-runway-crash-at-HK-Airport

UPDATE
Two Killed as Cargo Plane Skids Off Hong Kong Runway into Sea

 

Picture courtesy of BBC

 

Two airport security staff were killed early Monday when a cargo aircraft skidded off the north runway at Hong Kong International Airport, struck their patrol vehicle, and plunged into the sea. Emirates flight EK9788, a Boeing 747-481 cargo plane operated by Turkish carrier ACT Airlines, was arriving from Dubai at around 03:53 local time when the incident occurred. The crash left the aircraft partially submerged, though all four crew members onboard survived.

 

Authorities confirmed the two victims were members of the airport’s security team, aged 30 and 41, with seven and twelve years of experience respectively. Divers located their bodies inside the submerged patrol vehicle about five metres from the shore and seven metres underwater. One was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other died later in hospital. Hong Kong’s transport bureau expressed sadness over the deaths and extended condolences to the victims’ families.

 

The Airport Authority said that two other runways remain open while the north runway, where the crash occurred, will remain closed for the rest of the day. Officials described the crash as one of the deadliest aviation incidents in recent years at the airport, which otherwise maintains a strong safety record. At least eleven cargo flights scheduled for Monday were cancelled as a result of the runway closure.

 

Airport operations executive director Steven Yiu told reporters the patrol car was driving on a service road outside the runway fencing when the aircraft suddenly veered off course. “Normally the plane is not supposed to turn towards the sea,” he said, adding that the patrol car had not entered the runway and that the aircraft did not issue a distress signal before landing. The cause of the deviation remains unclear and investigators are examining weather, runway conditions and possible mechanical or human factors.

 

An Emirates spokesperson confirmed the plane “sustained damage on landing” and clarified that no cargo was onboard. The four crew members escaped via emergency exits and were rescued within minutes by fire service personnel. Photographs from the scene show the fuselage broken, with part of the aircraft lying in shallow water and an emergency slide deployed.

 

The Hong Kong Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) is leading the inquiry, working to recover the flight data and cockpit voice recorders. Police have not ruled out a criminal investigation pending the results of the official probe. The incident marks only the second fatal crash at Chek Lap Kok Airport since it replaced Kai Tak in 1998; the previous one occurred in 1999 when a China Airlines passenger jet crash-landed during a typhoon.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Two Hong Kong airport security staff died when an Emirates cargo plane veered off a runway and hit their vehicle before plunging into the sea.

• All four crew members survived; investigators are recovering black boxes to determine the cause.

• The crash closed one runway and cancelled 11 cargo flights, marking Hong Kong airport’s worst aviation incident in years.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from BBC 2025-10-20