4 months ago
6
HONG KONG (AP) — A cargo craft skidded disconnected a Hong Kong runway into the oversea erstwhile landing aboriginal Monday, sidesplitting 2 people.
The Boeing 747, flown by Turkey-based ACT Airlines, was landing astatine Hong Kong International Airport astir 3:50 a.m. connected accomplishment from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, authorities said. The hose had leased the craft from Emirates, a long-haul bearer based successful Dubai.
Four unit members connected the level were rescued and taken to a hospital. Authorities said 2 radical successful an airdrome crushed handling vehicle, which had fallen into the sea, were killed.
Emirates said the Boeing 747 freighter flying arsenic EK9788 was bedewed leased and operated by ACT Airlines. In bedewed leases, the institution supplying the level besides provides the crew, attraction and insurance. Emirates said determination was nary cargo connected board.
Local Hong Kong broadcasters showed the craft partially submerged conscionable disconnected the borderline of the airport’s oversea wall. The aircraft’s beforehand fractional and cockpit were disposable supra h2o but the process extremity appearing to person breached off.
Two boats, perchance carrying rescuers, were shown adjacent the aircraft.
The clang occurred connected the northbound runway of Hong Kong International Airport, 1 of Asia’s busiest. That runway remained closed, portion the 2 different runways astatine the airdrome proceed to operate.
The airdrome was built connected reclaimed onshore by merging 2 smaller islands northbound of Hong Kong's Lantau Island successful the South China Sea, astatine the rima of the Pearl River. The borderline of the northbound runway lies lone a fewer 100 meters (yards) from the water, portion the different 2 runways are adjacent closer.
Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department said successful a connection it was pursuing up with the airlines and different parties progressive successful the crash.
Emirates, the Dubai-based agelong haul carrier, is known for its rider flights coming retired of Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for planetary travel.
However, it besides operates a thriving cargo concern retired of Al Maktoum International Airport astatine Dubai World Central, the sheikhdom’s 2nd airdrome wherever it plans a $35 cardinal betterment implicit the coming decade. The ACT Airlines’ formation had taken disconnected from Al Maktoum, known arsenic DWC.
Emirates, owned by a sovereign wealthiness money successful the city-state, noted successful its most-recent yearly study that it had added 2 wet-leased Boeing 747s “to service surging lawsuit demand.” Emirates has immoderate 260 craft successful its fleet, the bulk either Boeing 777s oregon double-decker Airbus A380s.
___
Mistreanu reported from Taipei, Taiwan. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell successful Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
