A tragic accident occurred at Hong Kong International Airport on Monday, October 20, 2025, when an ACT Airlines Boeing 747-400 cargo aircraft, operated under a wet lease by Emirates SkyCargo, veered off the runway during landing and plunged into the sea.
The aircraft, which had flown from Dubai, lost control while touching down on the airport’s north runway around 4 a.m. local time (2000 GMT Sunday). According to Steven Yiu, Executive Director of Airport Operations at the Airport Authority Hong Kong, the plane “went off from the north runway upon landing, crashed through the fence, and ended up in the sea.”
In a tragic turn of events, the out-of-control aircraft struck a security patrol car located outside the runway perimeter fence. The impact sent the vehicle into the water, killing both men inside. One victim, aged 30, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other, aged 41, was later confirmed dead after being rushed to the hospital. Divers recovered both men from the submerged car approximately five meters (16 feet) from the shoreline.
Photographs released by the Airport Authority showed the damaged cargo plane partially submerged in seawater with its fuselage visibly broken and an emergency slide deployed — one of the most serious incidents to occur at the airport since it began operations in 1998.
Emirates Airlines confirmed that the aircraft’s crew members were safe and that no cargo was onboard at the time of the crash. The airline clarified that the plane was being operated by ACT Airlines under a short-term wet lease arrangement.
Yiu stated that weather and runway conditions were normal and safe for landing at the time of the incident. A diagram provided by officials showed that the aircraft made an abrupt left turn midway down the runway before breaking through the barrier.
Authorities said the aircraft did not send any emergency distress signal, nor did it respond to radio communication from the control tower. The airport’s north runway was temporarily shut down following the crash, though operations continued on the other two runways.
A spokesperson for Hong Kong’s Transport and Logistics Bureau expressed deep concern over the tragedy and confirmed that the Air Accident Investigation Authority has launched a full-scale probe into the cause of the crash. Police also stated that a criminal investigation has not been ruled out.
Rescue efforts were supported by helicopters from the Government Flying Service and vessels from the Fire Services Department.
Hong Kong International Airport, one of the busiest cargo hubs in the world, recently completed an HK$142 billion (US$18 billion) expansion project, including a third runway that began operations last November. Despite the new infrastructure, Monday’s accident has raised fresh questions about airport safety and operational oversight.
