Just before 4 a.m. on October 20, a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft operated by Turkey’s ACT Airlines — flying on behalf of Emirates SkyCargo — was landing at Hong Kong International Airport from Dubai. The 747 touched down on the airport’s north runway, a stretch of pavement that runs parallel to the waterfront and is separated from the sea by a perimeter fence and a road used by airport security vehicles.
About halfway down the runway, as the jumbo jet was slowing down at around 90 miles per hour, it suddenly began veering sharply to the left, sliding uncontrollably off the runway.
The aircraft smashed through the airport perimeter fence and collided directly into an airport patrol vehicle that was traveling along the road outside the runway area. The force of the impact pushed the vehicle off the edge, plunging it and its two occupants into the sea. The aircraft itself continued forward, breaking apart as it crashed over the seawall and came to rest partially submerged in the waters off Hong Kong.
Emergency teams quickly reached the site, rescuing the four-person flight crew who had managed to evacuate the damaged jet using the emergency escape slides. None of the crew were seriously injured. The two airport security personnel inside the patrol vehicle were killed, one at the scene, and the other passed shortly afterward in the hospital.
Early details indicated that there were no distress calls or warnings from the flight crew as they approached the airport. The weather, though gusty, wasn’t severe enough to explain the aircraft’s swerve.
More clear images of AirACT flight #EK9788 at Hong Kong Airport. https://t.co/PtDhbc3mWj pic.twitter.com/vzji3fvjvV
— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) October 20, 2025
Emirates SkyCargo Boeing 747 operated by Air ACT Veers Off Hong Kong Runway, Kills Two Airport Workers. https://t.co/PtDhbc3mWj pic.twitter.com/K04hv5OVh4
— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) October 20, 2025
The last recorded ATC audio of EMIRATES 9788 (Boeing 747-481(BDSF)) before it ran off the runway in Hong Kong.
Audio via @liveatc pic.twitter.com/An08XV44g4
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) October 20, 2025
We don’t know yet what caused the tragedy. Much of the speculation focuses on loss of directional control after touchdown due to asymmetry or systems fault. The veer occurs well into the landing roll. Weather shouldn’t have been an issue and there’s no evidence the patrol vehicle was on the runway or that the aircraft maneuvered to avoid it. That points to a post‑touchdown control problem like asymmetric reverse thrust; a spoiler, auto‑brake or anti‑skid anomaly; rudder or nose‑wheel steering issue; or tire burst leading to yaw (twisting or oscillation).
Pilot error may also have been a factor, such as delayed spoilers with a fast touchdown, though nothing in reporting thus far indcates an unstable approach. The issue appears to be what happened after touchdown than before.
METARs show good visibility, no precipitation, and only modest gusts. A brief microburst over the seawall can’t be ruled out yet, but there’s no current evidence. Similarly, there’s no evidence yet of spot contamination on the runway. With current facts, it seems like a mechanical or reverse/brake asymmetry or steering issue in night operations with some crosswind, rather than a vehicle conflict or severe weather. Cockpit voice and data recorders may tell us more.
Never good when an accident in aviation leads to deaths. Hope that the victims families will be compensated for their loss.
It should be noted that ACT is a Turkish cargo airline; Turkey is a competitive authoritarian regime, ruled over by Erdogan and his kleptocrats; also, Turkey continues to deny its (Ottomans) genocide against Christian Armenians and Greeks between 1915-1922. Thank you, Gary, for not even humoring them by using their new, silly spelling of ‘Turkey’ that they seem to demand to impose on others.
While any deaths are too many, let’s be thankful this was a cargo flight and not a passenger flight.
@Ron — That is lookin’ on the bright side. When I first saw this story (on Reddit, soon after it happened, then OMAAT, 13 hours ago, and finally, now at VFTW, gotte be quicker than that, Gary!), I thought of China Airlines Flight 605 (1993) at the old Kai Tak Airport, fell into Victoria Harbour. Tried landing during a typhoon. First hull-loss of a 744. Nearly 300 people. Thankfully, no one died then.