New Photos Reveal Extent of Damage to AirACT 747 After Runway Excursion in Hong Kong

New daylight photos of the AirACT Boeing 747-400 show significant structural damage after the cargo aircraft veered off the runway while landing at Hong Kong International Airport.

An air traffic control recording confirms the pilot had been cleared to land on runway 07L, where the crash occurred, and did not report any technical issues before touchdown.

Man Ka-chai, chief accident and safety investigator for Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority, said controllers had directed the flight to the north runway but received no distress call.

According to Yiu, a Civil Aviation Department official, a security patrol vehicle was operating outside the runway fence in its designated area and “definitely didn’t rush onto the runway.” The aircraft suddenly veered left after landing and struck the vehicle — a movement investigators described as “not a normal path.”

Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said the aircraft “deviated from the north runway after landing and ditched into the sea.”

Emirates confirmed the flight, operating as EK9788, sustained damage on landing. The Boeing 747 cargo plane was wet-leased from and operated by Turkey-based ACT Airlines. All crew members are safe, and there was no cargo onboard.

This is a developing story.