A rare accident occurred at Hong Kong International Airport in the early hours of today (October 20). A cargo plane arriving from Dubai reportedly veered off the runway during landing and entered the sea. An airport ground support vehicle was struck in the incident, causing two workers to fall into the water and go missing. The 30-year-old passenger of the vehicle was rescued but confirmed dead at the scene, while the driver in his 40s was sent to the hospital and later died.
The Airport Authority is scheduled to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. this morning to provide updates on the incident.
According to the Civil Aviation Department, the accident occurred around 3:50 a.m. when a B744 cargo plane (flight number UAE9788) from Al Maktoum International Airport in the UAE landed on the north runway and deviated from its path, sliding into the sea.
Air traffic controllers immediately informed the Airport Authority and other emergency units according to established procedures.
Flight tracking site Flightradar24.com showed that the aircraft veered left suddenly after using about half of the runway.
The preliminary reports confirmed the rescue and hospitalization of the four crew members on board. Two ground staff members fell into the sea due to the impact. The 30-year-old passenger was confirmed dead at the scene, and the 40-something driver died later in the hospital.
Due to the incident, the airport's north runway has been closed. The south and center runways remain operational.
It is reported that a Cathay Pacific flight, CX851, which was scheduled to land right after the cargo plane, was forced to perform a go-around and diverted to land on the south runway.
The Civil Aviation Department stated it is highly concerned about the incident and is coordinating with relevant airport authorities and Emirates Airline to follow up. The case has also been reported to the aviation accident investigation body according to established procedures, and a full investigation into the cause is underway.
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