Cargo jet crash kills two in Hong Kong

Two airport security officers were killed after a Boeing 747 freighter veered off the north runway at Hong Kong International Airport, struck their patrol vehicle outside the runway perimeter and pushed it into the sea, officials said. The aircraft, operated by ACT Airlines on behalf of Emirates and arriving from Dubai with no cargo aboard, landed abnormally and came to rest partially submerged near the airport seawall; its nose and tail sections were damaged and separated. All four crew members evacuated and escaped without serious injury.

Airport Authority Hong Kong said the two security staff — experienced employees aged about 30 and 41 — were pulled from the water unconscious; one was pronounced dead at the scene and the other died later in hospital. Emergency teams reached the aircraft within minutes and divers recovered the patrol vehicle a short distance from shore. Photographs from the scene showed the jet with an emergency slide deployed and sections of fuselage in shallow water.

Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority opened an inquiry and investigators from multiple agencies are examining weather and runway conditions, aircraft performance, maintenance records and crew actions. Officials said air traffic control had cleared the flight to land and that no distress call was received prior to the excursion. Teams are working to recover the flight data and cockpit voice recorders to determine the sequence of events.

The airport kept most operations running: the north runway was closed for inspection while the south and central runways remained operational and passenger services were largely unaffected. Airport Authority executives described the crash as tragic and pledged full support to the victims’ families, noting both officers were long-serving staff.

Emirates confirmed the aircraft sustained damage during landing and that the crew were unharmed; ACT Airlines and Boeing had not immediately commented. Investigators noted the jet, a 747 converted to freighter service, sustained substantial structural damage when it broke into sections and settled in shallow water near the seawall.

Authorities said they will consider all possibilities, including technical failure, human factors and runway conditions, as they piece together what led to the runway excursion. The incident is among the deadliest at the airport in decades, prompting renewed scrutiny of safety procedures and emergency response at the busy cargo hub while recovery and investigation continue.

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