HONG KONG, 20 October (H.S.): An Emirates cargo plane arriving from Dubai crashed while landing at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday morning, resulting in the deaths of two ground crew members.

All four members of the flight crew were rescued and transported to the hospital.The incident occurred at approximately 3:50 AM when flight EK9788, a Boeing 747 freighter operated by Turkish carrier Air ACT for Emirates, veered off the northern runway upon landing.

The aircraft is believed to have struck a ground service vehicle, dragging it into the adjacent sea before the plane itself became partially submerged.

Police confirmed that the two fatalities were the occupants of the ground vehicle, a 30-year-old man and a 41-year-old man. One was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other died after being taken to North Lantau Hospital.

The northern runway has been temporarily closed, leading to the cancellation of at least 12 cargo flights.

Passenger flight operations are not expected to be affected, as the airport’s central and southern runways remain operational.

A spokesperson for the Transport Department expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of the two ground staff members and emphasized that flight safety is paramount.

The Air Accident Investigation Authority will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the crash. The Hong Kong Airport Authority is scheduled to hold a press conference at 10 AM to provide further details.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar