An Emirates cargo plane slid off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport and into the sea on Monday morning, killing two ground crew members, local officials said.
Flight EK9788 deviated from the runway after landing on the airport’s north runway and skidded into the sea at approximately 3:50 a.m., Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said in a statement.
The aircraft, a Boeing 747-400 cargo plane, was arriving from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, the statement said. The cause of the accident was unclear.
“Emirates confirms that EK9788 which sustained damage on landing in Hong Kong on 20 October 2025 was a cargo aircraft wet leased from, and operated by, Act Airlines. The aircraft is a Boeing 747-400 with registration TC-ACF. Crew are confirmed to be safe and there was no cargo onboard,” and Emirates spokesperson told Lana in a statement.
Hong Kong airport accident: Emirates cargo plane veers off runway, two ground crew killed
Two ground crew members in a vehicle fell into the sea, according to Hong Kong authorities. One of them died at the scene and another died on his way to the hospital, according to reports which cited the Hong Kong police.
The police department and civil aviation authority were investigating the accident, and how the two men fell into the sea.
The four crew members aboard the plane were rescued and taken to a hospital, the authorities said. The airport’s north runway was closed immediately after the incident, the Civil Aviation Department said.
Photos from the scene show the plane partially submerged in the water. It was unclear if it had reopened as of Monday afternoon.
The Civil Aviation Department further revealed that an investigation was underway.
