Cargo Plane veers off Hong Kong airport runway, 2 dead

Hong Kong [India], October 20 (ANI): Two people have been reported dead after a Cargo plane veered off the runway of Hong Kong International Airport early on Monday morning, local media reported.

Emirates flight EK9788 was arriving from Dubai at about 03:50 local time (19:50 GMT) when it veered off the runway and collided with an airport patrol vehicle and landed partially in the sea, police was cited as saying by Hong Kong Free Press (HKPF).

According to the HKFP, police that a male staff member aboard the ground patrol vehicle was pronounced dead on site while another man in the vehicle died later at the North Lantau Hospital.

The four crew members on board Emirates SkyCargo Flight EK9788 (UAE9788) escaped uninjured, police added according to the media outlet.

As a result of the incident, the airport's north runway has been temporarily closed.

At least 11 cargo flights initially scheduled to arrive at Hong Kong International Airport on Monday were cancelled, according to the Airport Authority's website.

Emirates said in a statement that the aircraft had been leased from and was operated by Act Airlines, a Turkish operator. There was no cargo on board, it said.

As per a statement from the Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department, "A B744 cargo aircraft (flight number UAE9788) arriving from Al Maktoum International Airport in the United Arab Emirates deviated from the North Runway and skidded into the sea. Air traffic control immediately notified the Airport Authority and other rescue agencies according to established procedures."

"Preliminary information indicates that the four crew members on board have been rescued and transported to the hospital. Two other ground staff members were affected by the incident and fell into the sea. Their conditions are pending. The North Runway has been closed due to the incident, while the South and Central Runways will remain operational," it said.

"The Civil Aviation Department is highly concerned about this incident and is following up with the relevant airport units, including the airlines involved. The Civil Aviation Department has also reported the relevant situation to the Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Agency in accordance with established procedures and is fully cooperating with the investigation into the cause of the accident," it said. (ANI)

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