ACT Airlines confirms flight crew is healthy following Boeing 747 runway excursion; two HKG ground workers fatally injured
The Boeing 747-400F was operating a flight on behalf of Emirates SkyCargo.
ACT Airlines has confirmed that the four crew members who were onboard the airline’s Boeing 747-400F during the runway excursion at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) are “in good health.” However, two ground workers have lost their lives during the incident.
On October 20, 2025, ACT Airlines issued a statement following the runway excursion incident involving its 747-400 converted freighter, confirming that the aircraft, registered as TC-ACF, veered off the runway after it landed at HKG.
The reasons for the runway excursion, which resulted in the 747-400F ending up in the water near the northern runway of the airport, are yet to be determined, the airline said.
“Unfortunately, we have been informed that the aircraft collided with a ground services vehicle, resulting in [the] loss of two lives.”
In its own statement, HKG confirmed that two “beloved colleagues” passed away during the incident.
“They were carrying out their patrol duties outside the runway zone when the cargo aircraft suspected to have lost control and veered off the runway, hitting the patrol car.”
Both the carrier and airport affirmed that they have been working with the relevant authorities that are investigating the incident.
The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) of Hong Kong reported the crash of the 747-400F to the Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA), which said that it has launched an investigation of the accident that involved the freighter.
“[…] the investigation team is currently collecting data and information, as well as identifying areas for further investigation or lines of inquiry to follow up, with the objective of identifying the circumstances and causes of the accident with a view to preventing recurrence.”
The ACT Airlines 747-400F, which was operating flight EK 9788 on behalf of Emirates SkyCargo, was flying from Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) to HKG. The aircraft, having departed DWC at around 17:00 local time (UTC +4), landed at HKG at 03:53 local time (UTC +8) and veered off the runway.
The freighter came to a stop in the water, with pictures shared on social media showing the 747-400F sustaining significant damage and potentially being split in half. Images also indicated that the flight crew evacuated via the left-hand emergency slides.
Photo of the cargo plane that crashed into a ground vehicle and plunged into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport in China. All crew members rescued, 2 vehicle occupants missing.
— AZ Intel (@azintel.bsky.social) 2025-10-19T22:03:41.711Z
According to planespotters.net, Boeing originally delivered the aircraft as a passenger jet to All Nippon Airways (ANA) in June 1993, with the aircraft being painted in a special Pokémon livery between March 1999 and. May 2006.
In 2011, it was converted to a freighter at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), and ACT Airlines took delivery of the aircraft. The 747-400F also operated flights on behalf of SAUDIA.
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