Cargo airplane veers off Hong Kong runway; kills two

“A cargo airplane veered off a runway on Monday (October 20, 2025) throughout touchdown in Hong Kong, hit a safety patrol automotive after which skidded into the ocean, leaving two males within the automobile lifeless,” authorities mentioned.

Officials mentioned an investigation would purpose to find out what brought on the Boeing plane to go away the tarmac at Hong Kong International Airport, the world’s busiest for cargo final yr, in accordance with an business rating.

The airplane’s broken fuselage was left partly submerged within the seawater that borders the airport, with its emergency evacuation slides prolonged, following probably the most severe incidents because the airport started operations in 1998.

Steven Yiu, government director of airport operations at Airport Authority Hong Kong, mentioned the cargo airplane from Dubai “went off from the north runway upon landing and crashed through the fence and into the sea” at round 4 a.m. (20.00 GMT Sunday (October 19, 2025).

Mr. Yiu mentioned the patrol automotive was not on the runway on the time of the accident, and that “it was the aircraft that veered off the runway to hit the patrol car, which was outside the fence” and pushed it into the water.

A 30-year-old man aboard the bottom automobile was confirmed lifeless on the scene whereas one other, aged 41, died after being rushed to hospital. Both males have been retrieved from the sunken automotive by divers round 5 metres (16 ft) from the shore.

Emirates airways mentioned the airplane’s crew have been confirmed to be secure and there was no cargo on board. Emirates added the concerned airplane was on a short lived short-term, or “wet”, lease from the Istanbul-headquartered Act Airlines, which operated the plane.

Hong Kong’s airport dealt with 4.9 million tonnes of cargo in 2024 and was ranked the world’s busiest cargo airport by Airports Council International (ACI) World in April. Monday’s (October 20, 2025) incident occurred on the airport’s northernmost and latest runway, a part of a HK$142 billion ($18 billion) enlargement undertaking that was accomplished final yr.

“The cargo airplane’s visibly cracked fuselage was seen floating on the water with its inexperienced tail part torn off,” in accordance with an AFP reporter on the scene.

Police patrol boats moved across the wreckage as authorities used cranes and tow vehicles to seek for the plane’s “black box”, which comprises recording gadgets which will make clear how the incident occurred. Mr. Yiu mentioned “weather and runway conditions were safe and meet all conditions for runway operation” on the time of the incident.

Officials supplied a diagram that confirmed the airplane abruptly turning left midway down the size of the runway. “The plane didn’t ship an emergency sign and gave no reply when radioed by the airport,” officers added.

The airport’s north runway was quickly closed on Monday (October 20, 2025), whereas the opposite two runways remained operational. The incident was not anticipated to affect airport operations, Mr. Yiu mentioned.

A spokesman for the Transport and Logistics Bureau expressed deep concern over the incident, including that the Air Accident Investigation Authority will “actively investigate the cause of the accident.” Police mentioned they might not rule out launching a felony investigation.