Freighter operated for Emirates crashes off Hong Kong runway; two dead
According to the official statement, all four crew members on board were rescued and hospitalised, while two ground staff in a handling vehicle fell into the sea and were later confirmed dead.
Source: X/@fl360aero
A Boeing 747-400(BDSF) freighter operated by Istanbul-based AirACT for Emirates with flight number EK9788 crashed into the sea early Monday morning (October 20) after veering off the North Runway at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).
The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) of Hong Kong confirmed that the cargo aircraft, arriving from Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), United Arab Emirates, deviated from the runway shortly after landing at around 3:50 a.m. (HKT) and ditched into the sea. According to the CAD official statement, all four crew members on board were rescued and hospitalised, while two ground staff in a handling vehicle fell into the sea and were later confirmed dead.
In a statement, an Emirates spokesperson confirmed that flight EK9788 was wet-leased from and operated by ACT Airlines, a Turkish cargo carrier. The aircraft involved, registration TC-ACF, was not carrying cargo at the time of the incident.
“All four crew members onboard have been confirmed safe and are receiving medical attention. Emirates extends our condolences to the families and colleagues of the two airport employees who lost their lives on the ground,” the airline said, adding that it “remains available to support the investigation as needed.”
“The operator, ACT Airlines, along with other stakeholders, is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation.”
AirACT (ACT Airlines) is a Turkish cargo carrier based in Istanbul, operating Boeing 747 freighters for charter and ACMI services.
The 32-year-old aircraft with MSN 25645 was initially delivered to ANA on 3 June 1993 as 747-400, and the aircraft was converted into a freighter in August 2011 as 747-400(BDSF). The airline has another 747 freighter in its fleet.
The Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) has launched a full investigation into the incident. In a statement issued, the authority said its team is “collecting data and information, as well as identifying areas for further investigation or lines of inquiry” to determine the circumstances and causes of the crash and “prevent recurrence.”
The Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) expressed “deep concern” over the accident and extended condolences to the families of the two deceased ground staff. “Flight safety is of utmost importance,” a TLB spokesperson said, adding that the AAIA, CAD, and Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) will work closely to ensure operational safety at the airport.
Following the incident, the North Runway at HKIA remains closed, while the South and Centre Runways are operational, allowing partial continuation of airport traffic.
The CAD said it has reported the incident to the AAIA and is “sparing no effort to support the investigation.”
