BANGKOK – A cargo aircraft arriving from Dubai skidded off the runway and into the sea while landing at Hong Kong International Airport in the early hours of Monday. The city’s airport operator confirmed the incident, while local media reports indicate the tragic deaths of two individuals.

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Photographs from the scene showed a Boeing 747 cargo jet with AirACT livery partially submerged in the water near the airport’s sea wall. The aircraft sustained significant damage, with its nose and tail sections separated and an escape slide deployed. According to a statement from the Hong Kong airport, the four crew members on board the flight were successfully rescued.

#WATCH | A Boeing 747 cargo plane (AirACT, flight EK9788) veered off Hong Kong’s north runway after landing and hit a patrol car before ditching into the sea. Crew members are safe, no cargo onboard, and authorities have launched an investigation. #Boeing #Flight #Cargo… pic.twitter.com/8scCNAFXPC

— The Federal (@TheFederal_News) October 20, 2025

However, the South China Morning Post, citing police sources, reported that two people inside a ground vehicle near the runway, which was suspected to have been struck by the aircraft, have died. Police have not yet issued an official comment on the fatalities. The accident occurred at approximately 3:50 a.m. local time, prompting the immediate closure of the airport’s northern runway. Airport authorities confirmed that the south and central runways would continue to handle air traffic.

In an official statement, Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said the aircraft “deviated from the north runway after landing and ditched into the sea.” The department further noted that “two ground staff were affected and fell into the sea, and their conditions are pending confirmation.”

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Emirates, which had wet-leased the aircraft from Turkish carrier ACT Airlines, issued a statement identifying the flight as EK9788. The airline confirmed the aircraft sustained damage upon landing and that the crew was safe. They also clarified there was no cargo on board at the time of the incident. Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 reported the involved Boeing 747 was 32 years old and had previously served as a passenger plane before its conversion to a freighter. The Civil Aviation Department has reported the incident to Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority, pledging its full support for the ensuing investigation.

-Thailand News (TN)