Emirates Cargo Plane Slides Off Hong Kong Runway, Killing 2 Ground Crew

Asia Pacific|Emirates Cargo Plane Slides Off Hong Kong Runway, Killing 2 Ground Crew

An Emirates cargo plane slid off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport and into the sea early Monday, killing two ground crew members, local officials said.

After landing at the airport’s north runway, flight UAE9788 deviated from the runway and skidded into the sea at about 3:50 a.m., Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said in a statement. The aircraft, a Boeing 747-400 cargo plane, was arriving from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, the statement said. The cause of the accident was unclear.

Two ground crew members in a vehicle fell into the sea, according to Hong Kong authorities. One of them died at the scene and another died on his way to the hospital, according the the Hong Kong police.

The police department and civil aviation authority were investigating the accident, and how the two the two men fell into the sea.

The four crew members aboard the plane were rescued and taken to a hospital, the authorities said.

The airport’s north runway was closed immediately after the incident, the Civil Aviation Department said. Photos from the scene show the plane partially submerged in the water. It was unclear if it had reopened as of Monday afternoon.

The Civil Aviation Department said that an investigation was underway.

Emirates said in a statement that the aircraft had been leased from and was operated by Act Airlines, a Turkish operator. There was no cargo on board, it said.