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

Two airport workers were killed early Monday when a Boeing cargo aircraft overshot the runway and plunged partially into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport, one of the world’s busiest air freight hubs.

Officials said an investigation has been launched to determine what caused the Emirates-operated aircraft to veer off the north runway upon landing around 4 a.m. (2000 GMT Sunday).

The plane, which arrived from Dubai on a short-term “wet lease” from Act Airlines, struck a patrol vehicle outside the airport perimeter before breaking through the fence and coming to rest with part of its fuselage submerged in seawater.

A 30-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, while another 41-year-old man died later in hospital. Divers recovered both victims from the sunken vehicle, which was found about five metres (16 feet) from the shore.

Airport operations executive Steven Yiu said runway and weather conditions were normal at the time and that “the patrol car was not on the runway,” adding that the aircraft “veered off to hit the vehicle, which was outside the fence.”

No cargo was onboard, and all crew members were reported safe, Emirates confirmed in a statement.

A diagram released by airport authorities showed the aircraft made an abrupt left turn halfway down the runway before losing control. Officials said no emergency signal was sent and that the crew failed to respond to radio calls from air traffic control.

The north runway was temporarily closed following the crash, though the airport’s two other runways remained operational, minimizing disruptions.

Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority will lead the probe, while police said a criminal investigation has not been ruled out.

Emergency teams, including a Government Flying Service helicopter and Fire Services Department vessels, were deployed to the scene.

The incident is one of the most serious since Hong Kong International Airport began operations in 1998. The city recently completed an HK$142 billion ($18 billion) expansion project that added a third runway last year to bolster its status as a leading global aviation hub.