A tragic incident unfolded at Hong Kong International Airport when a plane skidded off the runway and crashed into the sea. Sadly, two individuals lost their lives in the accident, while emergency services managed to rescue four crew members.
According to a statement from an Emirates representative, the damaged aircraft, identified as EK9788, was a cargo airplane wet leased from Act Airlines. The Boeing 747-400 with registration TC-ACF had no cargo onboard, and all crew members were reported safe.
The fatal event occurred as the Emirates flight EK9788, arriving from Dubai, was landing around 3:50 am local time on Monday, October 20. The cargo plane went off course during the landing, crashing through fencing and colliding with an airport security patrol car, causing it to be pushed into the sea and resulting in the deaths of two ground staff members.
The Fire Service Department promptly rescued the four crew members from the aircraft. Steven Yiu, the executive director of airport operations at Airport Authority Hong Kong, expressed deep condolences and assured that support would be extended to the affected families.
Over 200 firefighters and first aid officers, along with numerous vehicles and ships, responded to the scene swiftly. The Chief Accident and Safety Investigator for Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority mentioned that no distress call was received from the pilot, and the aircraft, a Boeing 747-481 (BDSF), was over 30 years old.
The Hong Kong Air Accident Investigation Authority initiated an investigation into the accident involving the B744 cargo aircraft, flight number UAE9788. Their objective is to determine the circumstances and causes of the accident to prevent similar incidents in the future, in accordance with aviation regulations.
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