Runway to Reopen After Fatal Cargo Plane Accident

Hong Kong – Authorities in Hong Kong are preparing to reopen a runway at Hong Kong International Airport following Monday’s cargo plane crash that sent both the aircraft and a patrol car into the sea. While repairs to the runway and damaged fencing have been completed, officials said the runway will remain on standby status and will not be included in regular flight scheduling until the wreckage is fully cleared.

The incident involved a Boeing 747 operated by Turkey-based ACT Airlines under lease from Emirates. The aircraft skidded off the left side of the runway shortly after landing on Monday morning, colliding with a patrol vehicle. The accident claimed the lives of two workers in the car, while the plane’s four crew members escaped without apparent injuries.

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Airport Operations and Safety Measures

Steven Yiu, executive director for airport operations, confirmed that initial investigations at the scene have been completed, and repairs to the runway are finalized.

“The runway will be on standby from noon today, meaning it can be used for landings but not included in regular flight planning. It will remain in this status until the wreckage in the sea is fully removed,” Yiu said in a statement to Radio Television Hong Kong.

Authorities are coordinating with barge companies for the removal of debris, but operations have been delayed by Tropical Storm Fengshen, which is currently affecting the region. Depending on weather conditions, the clearance of the wreckage is expected to take up to a week.

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Investigation Underway

Both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have not yet been retrieved. Investigators are examining multiple factors, including mechanical performance, human factors, and weather conditions. Preliminary information indicates that both the weather and runway conditions met required safety standards at the time of the crash.

The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mable Chan, announced that the air accident investigation authority aims to release an initial report within a month.

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ACT Airlines’ Safety Record

Monday’s crash marks the second fatal accident for ACT Airlines. In 2017, a Boeing 747 operated under ACT Airlines’ MyCargo brand crashed near Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, killing all four crew members on board and 35 people on the ground. Investigations concluded that the crash was due to crew misjudgment in poor weather, compounded by fatigue and miscommunication with air traffic control.

ACT Airlines has been operating the Hong Kong cargo route on behalf of Turkish Airlines, and authorities are examining whether lessons from the 2017 incident were applied to improve safety procedures.

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Next Steps

• Wreckage removal will proceed once Tropical Storm Fengshen passes.
• The runway will remain on standby and not included in daily flight schedules until cleanup is complete.
• Investigators continue analyzing mechanical and human factors to determine the precise cause of the crash.
• An initial investigation report is expected within one month.

Officials emphasize that ensuring aviation safety and fully clearing the runway and surrounding waters are top priorities before normal operations resume.