Hong Kong cargo jet crash kills two airport staff
“Boeing 747 freighter skids off runway and hits patrol car.”
Key points
- Boeing 747 freighter skids off runway and hits patrol car.
- Two airport security workers die; four crew members survive.
- North runway shut for checks; other operations continue.
- Probe focuses on weather, runway state and flight actions.
Two members of Hong Kong’s airport security team were killed when a Boeing 747 freighter arriving from Dubai veered off runway 07L during landing and struck their patrol vehicle, pushing it into the sea, authorities said. The aircraft—operated by Turkey’s ACT Airlines on behalf of Emirates—came to rest partially submerged near the seawall, while all four crew members escaped.
Airport officials said the incident occurred around 3:50am local time. Investigators are examining runway conditions, weather and flight operations. Air traffic control recordings reviewed by Reuters captured the crew clearing to land on the north runway; no emergency call was recorded before the crash, officials noted.
The Airport Authority said operations continued on other runways and expected the affected runway to reopen after safety inspections. Photos showed the fuselage damaged and the escape slide deployed, with the nose and tail sections separated.
According to flight-tracking data, the 32-year-old airframe previously served as a passenger jet before freighter conversion. The event is Hong Kong’s deadliest airport accident in more than two decades. The authority pledged support for the victims’ families, noting the two staffers had seven and 12 years of service respectively.
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