Hong Kong cargo plane incident kills two after Boeing jet veers off runway, strikes patrol car and skids into sea, sparking full investigation

Hong Kong cargo plane incident investigations are underway following a tragic accident in which a Boeing aircraft veered off the runway during landing, struck a security patrol vehicle, and skidded into the sea, killing two men aboard the ground vehicle.

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The crash occurred at around 4am on Monday, when the cargo plane, arriving from Dubai, failed to stay on the north runway at Hong Kong International Airport, one of the world’s busiest air cargo hubs.

The plane’s damaged fuselage was left partially submerged, its emergency slide deployed, in what officials describe as one of the most serious incidents since the airport opened in 1998.

“The aircraft went off from the north runway upon landing and crashed through the fence and into the sea,” said Steven Yiu, Executive Director of Airport Operations at the Airport Authority Hong Kong.

Authorities confirmed that the security patrol car was not on the runway, and that it was the aircraft that breached the fence and struck the vehicle, pushing it into the nearby water.

A 30-year-old man in the car died at the scene. A second man, aged 41, was rescued but later died in hospital.

Divers retrieved both men from the sunken vehicle, about five metres from the shoreline.

Emirates Airlines confirmed there was no cargo on board, and all crew members are safe.

The aircraft was operated under a wet lease agreement by ACT Airlines, a Turkish cargo operator, on Emirates’ behalf.

Officials added that weather and runway conditions were normal at the time of the incident.

However, the aircraft failed to send any emergency signal and did not respond to air traffic control radio calls during its final approach.

A diagram presented by investigators showed the plane made an abrupt left turn midway down the runway. The reason remains unclear.

The airport’s north runway was temporarily closed, while its two other runways remained operational. Yiu stated that broader airport operations would not be disrupted.

A spokesperson for the Transport and Logistics Bureau said the government is “deeply concerned” and that the Air Accident Investigation Authority will lead a full inquiry.

Police say a criminal investigation has not been ruled out.

Helicopters and marine rescue vessels from the Government Flying Service and Fire Services Department were quickly deployed to the crash scene.

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The incident comes just months after Hong Kong completed an HK$142 billion ($18 billion) airport expansion, which included the launch of a third runway in a bid to maintain the city’s competitiveness as an Asian aviation hub.