HONG KONG — A cargo plane that departed from Dubai skidded off the runway and crashed into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) early this morning, resulting in the deaths of two people.
The incident occurred around 3:50 AM local time. Emirates confirmed the aircraft involved was an ACT Airlines cargo flight.
Hong Kong Airport authorities released a statement confirming that all four crew members aboard the aircraft were successfully rescued. However, two individuals who were inside a ground vehicle parked near the runway suffered fatal injuries.
Images from the scene show the Boeing 747 cargo jet partially submerged in the water near the airport wall. The plane sustained severe damage, with both its nose and tail sections appearing to have separated from the main fuselage.
The North Runway at HKIA, which is known as one of the world’s busiest cargo airports, has been closed following the accident, though traffic continues on other runways. The South China Morning Post reported the deaths of the two individuals in the ground vehicle, but police have yet to officially confirm these fatalities.
