A Boeing slides off the runway into the sea at Hong Kong airport, killing people – video
Boeing 747 landing at Hong Kong Airport (Photo: Depositphotos)

In Hong Kong, an Emirates Boeing 747 cargo plane rolled off the runway during a landing approach, collided with ground vehicles, and crashed into the sea. As a result, two airport employees were killed. This was reported by and of the South China Morning Post.

The incident occurred at around 03:50 am local time (22:05 Kyiv time). According to police, the cargo plane, which was flying flight EK9788 from Dubai, left the northern runway of Hong Kong International Airport and crashed into a security patrol car.

The airport administration emphasizes that the security vehicle that sank after the plane hit "was not near the runway at all" and was behind the fence, patrolling the four-kilometer-long northern coastline.

According to Wesley Young, chief air traffic controller at the Department of Civil Aviation, the plane did not make any emergency signals. The airport also tried to contact the pilot by radio, but received no response .

Initially, two men aged 30 and 41, who were in the land vehicle, were reported missing. Subsequently, at 05:55, rescuers confirmed the death of the younger man at the scene, and the older one died at 06:26 am at the North Lantau Hospital.

All four crew members of the plane remained unharmed.

As a result of the incident, the airport's north runway was temporarily closed, while the south and central runways of Hong Kong Airport remain operational.

Police do not rule out opening a criminal case. Man Ka-chai, chief investigator for accidents and safety at the Aviation Accident Investigation Department, said the investigation into the cause of the crash will include checks on the plane's systems, maintenance, operation, weather conditions and runway conditions.

12 cargo flights to be canceled on Monday.

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