A rare incident occurred at Hong Kong International Airport early this morning (Oct. 20), when a cargo plane arriving from Dubai reportedly skidded off the runway and fell into the sea during landing. A ground service vehicle was allegedly struck, resulting in two people on board temporarily going missing in the water. The 30-year-old passenger from the ground service vehicle was later rescued but was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver in his forties died after being sent to the hospital. The Airport Authority held a press conference this morning to provide updates on the incident involving the cargo plane.
Steven Yiu, the Executive Director of Airport Operations at the Airport Authority, stated that firefighters conducted underwater searches for the patrol vehicle that fell into the sea, rescuing two employees from a security company. Unfortunately, both employees passed away, one at the scene and the other in the hospital. The Airport Authority expressed deep condolences for the deaths of the two employees, emphasizing that they would do everything possible to support their families during this difficult time. The two deceased employees had served at the airport for 7 and 12 years, respectively.
Yiu indicated that, based on available information, the weather and runway conditions at the time of the incident were suitable for operations. And the patrol vehicle did not skid off the runway; it was struck by the aircraft after the plane exited the runway and collided with the perimeter fence. The Airport Authority and other relevant departments will assist in the investigation and fully cooperate with the inquiry.
Additionally, Yiu pointed out that the aircraft involved did not issue any distress or emergency signals before landing. He noted that "the aircraft actually landed normally and skidded along the runway for about half its length."
Yiu further noted that the Airport Authority, in conjunction with the Civil Aviation Department, had assessed the situation. Over 1,000 flights were originally scheduled to take off and land at Hong Kong International Airport today, with the South and Central runways being utilized to maintain normal operations, ensuring that flight schedules would not be affected. As for when the North runway would be reopened, this would depend on the completion of the investigation, after which the airline would be contacted to determine how to remove the aircraft and establish a timeline for reopening the North runway.
The Chief Accident and Safety Investigator of the Air Accident Investigation Authority, Man Ka-chai, stated to reporters that an investigation will be conducted on various aspects, including aircraft systems, maintenance, operations, weather, and runway conditions, to determine the cause of the incident.
The investigation team is currently collecting data and information to identify the scope of further investigation and the direction for follow-up, with the aim of establishing the sequence of events and causes of the incident to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Related News:
Watch This | cargo plane from Dubai veers off runway in HK, crashes into ground vehicle — 2 dead
Strong Wind Signal No. 3 considered issuing between 5 pm and 7 pm
Comment