A cargo aircraft arriving from Dubai veered off the runway and plunged into the sea while landing at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday morning, killing two ground personnel and leaving the aircraft wrecked. The flight, operated by Turkish-based ACT Airlines for Emirates, had no cargo on board, and all four crew members survived.

The Boeing 747 freighter, flying under flight number EK9788, landed on the north runway at around 3:50 am local time when it suddenly lost control, broke through the perimeter fence, and ended up partially submerged off the coast, according to airport and aviation officials.

Vehicle Struck During Crash, Two Killed

During the accident, the aircraft collided with a security patrol vehicle that was outside the runway boundary. Two workers inside the vehicle a 30-year-old man and a 41-year-old colleague were pulled from the submerged car by divers. One died at the scene, and the other was pronounced dead later in the hospital.

“The vehicle was absolutely not near the runway. It was patrolling the perimeter outside the fence,” said Steven Yiu, executive director of airport operations. He confirmed that runway and weather conditions met operational standards at the time.

Aircraft Broke Apart, Slide Deployed

Images taken shortly after the crash showed the plane split into sections, with its nose and tail separated and its fuselage floating near the seawall. An emergency slide had been deployed, and all crew members exited safely.

“There was no cargo onboard,” Emirates confirmed in a statement. “Crew are confirmed to be safe.”

More than 200 emergency responders including divers, fire vessels, and helicopters were dispatched. The submerged vehicle was found in waters about seven meters deep and only five meters from the shore, according to rescue officials.

No Emergency Call, Aircraft Silent

Airport authorities reported that the aircraft gave no emergency signal before the crash and failed to respond to air traffic control communications. Flight tracking data indicated a sharp deviation left midway through the runway, just before the plane breached the airport’s boundary.

Despite the scale of the accident, there was no indication of mechanical failure in advance, and investigators are examining why the aircraft failed to stay aligned with the runway.

North Runway Closed, Operations Continue

Following the crash, Hong Kong International Airport closed its northern runway, while central and southern runways remained operational. Though about a dozen cargo flights were canceled, passenger flight schedules were unaffected.

Hong Kong, home to one of the world’s busiest cargo hubs, had recently expanded to three runways, with the latest one opening last November after years of development.

Investigation Launched; Criminal Probe Not Ruled Out

The city’s Air Accident Investigation Authority is now leading the inquiry into the incident. The Civil Aviation Department reported the case and will assist with the technical analysis. A spokesperson from the Transport and Logistics Bureau expressed serious concern and called for a thorough investigation.

Police have not ruled out criminal responsibility as a possibility. “The cause of the accident will be actively investigated,” authorities stated.

FlightRadar24 confirmed that the aircraft was 32 years old and had previously operated as a passenger plane before its conversion to a cargo freighter. ACT Airlines, which operated the aircraft under a wet lease, had not issued a comment as of Monday afternoon.

This marks one of the most serious accidents at Hong Kong International Airport since its opening in 1998.