Cargo plane slides off Hong Kong airport runway, claims two lives

The Boeing 747 freighter operated by Turkish carrier ACT Airlines skids off from the northern runway during its landing approach from Dubai, partially submerging near the airport's seawall with its fuselage fractured into separate sections.

The four flight crew members aboard the Emirates-coded EK9788 service were successfully rescued following the 3:50 a.m., October 20, 2025 incident, though two ground personnel working near the runway perimeter were killed according to police statements.

Airport authorities immediately closed the northern runway while maintaining operations on the facility's two alternate runways, confirming normal flight schedules would continue despite the accident.

Emirates confirmed the damaged aircraft was wet-leased from ACT Airlines and carried no cargo during the flight from Dubai.

The Turkish carrier provides supplemental freight capacity for major airlines but had not issued immediate commentary regarding the runway excursion beyond normal business hours.

Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department has initiated investigation procedures to determine what caused the freighter to "deviate from the north runway after landing and ditch into the sea" during normal landing operations.