Cargo Plane Crashes Into Sea at Hong Kong Airport

A cargo aircraft operated by Emirates skidded off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday morning and plunged into the sea, killing two airport ground workers.

Flight EK9788, a freighter arriving from Dubai, touched down at approximately 03:50 local time (19:50 GMT) when it veered off course during landing and struck an airport patrol vehicle.

The two occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene, while all four crew members aboard the plane survived.

The crash is being described as one of Hong Kong’s most serious aviation accidents in recent years. The airport, known for its strong safety record, has launched a formal investigation to determine what went wrong.

Airport authorities stated that proper landing instructions were provided to the crew and that runway signage was clearly visible.

The patrol vehicle, according to officials, had been traveling along a service road outside the runway’s fenced perimeter “at a safe distance” when the aircraft suddenly broke through the fencing and hit it, forcing both into the water.

An Emirates spokesperson confirmed that the aircraft “sustained damage upon landing in Hong Kong” and noted that “no cargo was onboard.”

All four crew members managed to escape through the emergency exits shortly after impact and were rescued within minutes by responding fire services.