Dubai plane crashes into sea at Hong Kong airport right after landing
A cargo Boeing 747 operated by Emirates veered off the runway at Hong Kong Airport after colliding with a ground service vehicle and ended up in the sea, with two workers reported missing, according to Newsweek.
A serious aviation accident occurred at Hong Kong International Airport: the Boeing 747-481 cargo plane, operating an Emirates flight from Dubai, went off the runway and into the water after landing.
Preliminary reports indicate that the aircraft struck an airport ground service vehicle that was on the taxi path. The impact caused the plane to lose control, break through a fence, and slide into the sea.
Along with the plane, a service vehicle also fell into the water, carrying two people. Their fate is currently unknown — the workers are considered missing, and a search operation is underway. Rescuers say there is a high likelihood of fatalities, as the impact was sudden and the vehicle quickly submerged.
Emergency service units, divers, and fire teams have arrived at the scene. The airport’s northern runway has been temporarily closed, and passengers are advised to expect delays and schedule changes.
Incidentally, this is already the second major accident involving a Boeing 747 in Hong Kong’s history. In 1993, a China Airlines plane also went off the runway into the water during a storm at the former Kai Tak Airport. At that time, 23 people were injured, but there were no fatalities.
The current incident could become one of the most high-profile accidents in the recent history of Hong Kong Airport, which ranks among the world’s ten busiest airports in terms of cargo traffic.
