A cargo aircraft operating as Emirates SkyCargo flight EK9788 veered off the north runway of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in the early hours of Monday, plunging partially into the sea.
The freighter – a Boeing 747-481 cargo aircraft (registration TC-ACF) was operated by Turkey-based Air ACT Cargo on behalf of Emirates and had departed from Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai and landed at HKIA around 03:50 local time. The aircraft left the paved surface of the North Runway and ended up in the sea beyond the runway’s end.
In a press release, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) confirmed that:
“An accident occurred at Hong Kong International Airport at around 3.50 am today. A B744 cargo aircraft (flight number UAE9788), arriving from Al Maktoum International Airport, United Arab Emirates, had deviated from the North Runway after landing and ditched into the sea.”
The four crew members on board the aircraft were rescued and sent to hospital, while two ground staff were affected and fell into the sea. They were subsequently confirmed dead.
The North Runway is closed due to the accident, while the South and Centre Runways will remain operational.
Image: Screenshot from viral video on X (formerly Twitter)
Emirates, in a statement to Reuters confirmed that
“Flight EK9788 sustained damage on landing in Hong Kong and was a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft wet-leased from and operated by ACT Airlines. Crew are confirmed to be safe and there was no cargo onboard.”
Local media reports suggest that the aircraft may have have impacted a ground-service vehicle during the landing roll.
Update: Airport operations executive director confirmed to BBC that the plane collided with a patrol car that was travelling at a safe distance from the runway. The plane turned away from the runway and collided with the vehicle, pushing it into the sea.
A challenging coastal geography
Built on reclaimed land off Lantau Island, Hong Kong International Airport sits almost entirely surrounded by the South China Sea, with both its main runways extending close to the water’s edge. This geography, while essential to the airport’s expansion and limited land availability, also makes it vulnerable to runway excursions, particularly in wet or windy conditions. The airport has had a good safety record since inception.
Since its opening in 1998, HKIA has developed into one of Asia’s top-tier air-cargo hubs. In 2024 it handled about 4.9 million tonnes of cargo, making it the world’s busiest international cargo airport that year. Its high-volume operations operate amid challenging coastal geography and heavy traffic. The airport has had a good safety record since inception.
Image: Wylkie Chan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Aircraft details
- Type: Boeing 747-481
- Registration: TC-ACF
- Operator: Air ACT Cargo (Turkey) for Emirates SkyCargo (Wet Lease)
- Flight number: EK9788
- Route: Dubai World Central (DWC) → Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
- Age: 32 years
The north runway’s closure is impacting cargo flights, though Hong Kong International Airport continues operations using its south and center runways. Recovery crews are working to remove the stricken freighter and assess runway damage, while investigators from the Air Accident Investigation Authority begin on-site examinations.
Image: HongKong-Macau Bridge S2 2022 (cropped) via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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