Two people were killed when a cargo plane skidded off the runway and into the sea during landing at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday morning.
The Boeing 747, operated by Türkiye-based ACT Airlines, arrived from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at around 3:50 a.m. The airline said the aircraft was leased from Emirates.
Two people on board an airport ground handling vehicle that fell into the sea were confirmed dead, and four crew members were rescued from the plane and taken to hospital.
Emirates said flight EK9788 was a wet lease operated by ACT Airways, which provided the crew, maintenance and insurance. There was no cargo on board.
Footage from Hong Kong media showed the plane partially submerged in water near the airport’s sea wall. The front of the plane was visible above the water, but the tail appeared to be broken off.
The accident occurred on the airport’s north runway, which has since been closed. The remaining two runways remain open for use.
Built on reclaimed land in the north of Lantau Island, Asia’s busiest airport is Hong Kong International Airport, just a few hundred meters from the sea.
Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Authority said it was working with the airline and other parties involved in the accident.
Best known for its passenger flights from Dubai International Airport, Emirates also operates large cargo flights from Al Maktoum International Airport, where ACT Flights departed.
Earlier this year, the airline announced it had added two wet-lease Boeing 747 aircraft to meet growing demand. Emirates operates a fleet of approximately 260 aircraft, mainly Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s.
MNA/