A terrifying crash at Hong Kong International Airport has claimed two lives after a cargo plane careened off the runway, smashing into a car and plunging into the sea.
Plane Fails to Stop, Slams Into Car Before Falling Into Water
The Boeing 747-400, flying at around 90 knots (104 mph), skidded off the north runway at 3:53am local time. It clipped a car near the runway, snapping off its tail, then barreled over a sea wall and plunged into the Zhujiang River Estuary.
Divers recovered one car occupant, aged 30, who was pronounced dead at 5:55am. A second passenger, 41, was rescued and rushed to North Lantau Hospital but sadly died less than an hour later, according to local media reports.
Crew Survive as Authorities Scramble to Investigate
All four crew members aboard Emirates flight EK9788, operated by Turkish cargo and passenger charter firm Air ACT, escaped without injuries. The aircraft had departed from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai and was scheduled to land in Hong Kong just after 4am.
The north runway has been closed while authorities launch a full investigation. The Civil Aviation Department expressed deep concern and confirmed cooperation with the Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Agency to determine the cause.
'The Civil Aviation Department is highly concerned about this incident and is following up with the relevant airport units, including the airlines involved,' officials said.
Tragic Loss and Ongoing Probes