Emirates SkyCargo Boeing 747 crashes into the ocean at Hong Kong, killing 2
October 20, 2025
A Boeing 747 cargo aircraft skidded off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport, striking a ground vehicle and going over the sea wall.
The aircraft, operated by Turkish cargo airline Air ACT, was undertaking Emirates SkyCargo flight EK9788, and had flown in from Dubai overnight, arriving in Hong Kong at 03:53 local time.
The aircraft struck a patrol car that was travelling outside of the airport fence, pushing the car into the sea. Two security staff were killed in the incident.
The four air crew onboard the Boeing 747 escaped unhurt and were rescued from the sea shortly after the crash.
The northern runway at Hong Kong International Airport remains closed, but the airport reports that two other runways are open and that it does not anticipate any impact on operations.
Boeing 747 crash at Hong Kong: What we know so far
The Boeing 747 is one of two operated by Turkish cargo airline Air ACT and carries the tail number TK-ACF. It was a 32-year-old 747-400, originally delivered as a passenger aircraft to ANA in 1993, but was converted into a cargo carrier in 2011.
Emirates SkyCargo began wet leasing the two Boeing 747s from Air ACT in summer 2024. They have been operating mainly on the route between Dubai and Hong Kong, although both aircraft have also been seen in Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Milan.
The flight took off from Dubai just before 17:00 on Sunday, flying for almost seven hours to reach its destination in Hong Kong. It touched down on Runway 07L at 03:53 and began rolling out as normal, but then suddenly veered to the left.
An airACT 747 veered off the runway on landing in Hong Kong, reportedly striking a ground vehicle. Local media are now reporting one occupant of the vehicle has died and the other has been taken to hospital. https://t.co/umS4W1jT8f pic.twitter.com/7w6pFdIDOc
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) October 19, 2025
Data from Flightradar24 shows the aircraft exited the runway about halfway down its 12,000 ft length, still travelling at around 90 knots (100 mph). It hit the sea wall and entered the water, still moving at 49 knots (56 mph).
Pictures from the scene show the aircraft split in two, the tail becoming severed on impact with the sea wall and water.
New footage of the Air ACT 747 that ran off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport this morning. pic.twitter.com/3tHlBwruwu
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) October 20, 2025
Two security staff were patrolling in a vehicle outside the runway fence at the time of the incident. Initial reports suggest the aircraft hit the vehicle and pushed it into the sea.
One man, aged 30, was pulled from the sea by rescue divers and confirmed dead at the scene at 05:55. The other, aged 41, was transported to the hospital at North Lantau, but was confirmed dead at 06:26.
The four crew onboard the aircraft managed to escape unharmed.
Accident occured at the world’s busiest cargo hub
Hong Kong is the world’s busiest airport for cargo. In 2024, it handled 4.9 million tonnes of air cargo – around 30% more than the next-busiest airport at Shanghai Pudong.
The airport officially commissioned its third runway in 2022, but only began using a three-runway system in November 2024.
Having three runways open means the effect of today’s incident on traffic will be minimal, as both the centre and south runways are still available for use. The north runway will remain closed while an investigation takes place.
New daylight photos of the AirACT 747-400 show significant damage to the aircraft after veering off the runway while landing in Hong Kong.
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) October 20, 2025
An air traffic control recording indicates the cargo plane's pilot confirmed plans to land on runway 07L where the crash occurred, but he… pic.twitter.com/wAHV0RVGO5
This fatal accident is only the second since Hong Kong’s main airport moved from Kai Tak to Chek Lap Kok in 1998. In 1999, a China Airlines passenger aircraft suffered a hard landing when arriving during a typhoon, killing three people on board.
Investigations are commencing, and the airport says representatives from both Emirates SkyCargo and air ACT are ‘rushing to the airport’ to help.
