Tragedy at Hong Kong airport as Dubai cargo plane skids off runway into sea, two killed

A cargo plane arriving from Dubai skidded off the runway and into the sea while attempting to land at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday morning, resulting in two confirmed fatalities.

The incident occurred at approximately 3:50 am (local time), according to the Hong Kong Airport Authority, as reported by AP. All four crew members on board were rescued and transported to a hospital. However, police said that two individuals in an airport ground vehicle were confirmed dead based on initial information.

One of the three runways at the airport, one of the busiest in Asia, has been temporarily shut down.

A photograph shared by AirNavRadar displayed a Boeing 747 that was partly underwater, missing its rear section, including the tailfin. The flight tracking company did not reveal the source of the image, and LiveMint couldn't independently verify its authenticity.

More about cargo aircraft

The 32-year-old aircraft was operated by Turkish cargo airline AirACT for Emirates, departing from Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport under flight number EK9788, according to a Bloomberg report, adding that both airlines were not reachable for comments outside of regular business hours.

"Crew are confirmed to be safe and there was no cargo onboard," Reuters quoted Emirates as saying.

This incident is reportedly one of the most severe in the 27-year existence of Hong Kong International Airport. Back in 1999, three people were killed when a China Airlines flight crashed while landing during a typhoon and ended up upside down.

Monday’s event is reminiscent of a previous China Airlines mishap at the city’s former Kai Tak Airport, where a 747 overshot the runway in typhoon weather. That plane ended up submerged in water beyond the runway’s end, causing injuries to about two dozen passengers and crew members.

Fire breaks out at Dhaka international airport

Meanwhile, a large fire at the import cargo facility of Dhaka airport on Saturday afternoon severely damaged goods and materials belonging to some of the country’s top garment exporters, with industry leaders estimating the trade losses could amount to millions of dollars, according to a report by Reuters.

It took place in the import area of the airport’s cargo village, leading to a temporary halt in flight operations. On Sunday, smoke was still rising from the burnt structure as firefighters and airport authorities continued evaluating the extent of the destruction.

(With inputs from agencies)