A cargo plane skidded off the runway and plunged into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport early Monday morning, October 20, 2025, killing two ground workers.
The accident occurred around 3:50 AM local time during landing operations.
Incident Details
Flight Information: Emirates Sky Cargo flight EK9788, a Boeing 747-481 freighter operated by Turkish cargo carrier Air ACT under wet-lease, was arriving from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport when the accident occurred. The aircraft, registered TC-ACF, reportedly swerved left during its landing roll on the north runway 07R before partially submerging into the sea adjacent to the runway.
Collision:
The freighter struck a ground security patrol vehicle during landing, tearing off one of its wheels and causing substantial damage to both the aircraft and vehicle. The impact knocked the ground vehicle into the water along with its two occupants.
Casualties
Ground Workers: Two male staff members in the ground vehicle were ejected into the sea when the plane struck their vehicle. One man, aged 30, was pulled from the water and pronounced dead at the scene at 5:55 AM, while the other, aged 41, was transported unconscious to North Lantau Hospital where he was confirmed dead at 6:26 AM.
Flight Crew: All four crew members aboard the Boeing 747 survived the crash and were rescued safely. They were transported to nearby hospitals for medical attention.
Aircraft Damage
Photos from the scene show the Boeing 747 cargo aircraft partially submerged in water near the airport’s sea wall, with escape slides deployed and the nose and tail sections visibly separated. Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 indicates the aircraft’s landing path abruptly shifted left after touchdown. The 32-year-old aircraft had previously served as a passenger plane before being converted into a freighter.
Airport Operations
The north runway at Hong Kong International Airport remains closed as investigations continue, while the south and central runways continue to operate normally. At least 11 cargo flights initially scheduled to land at the airport on Monday were canceled following the incident. A Cathay Pacific flight CX851 that was next in line to land was forced to abort its approach and divert to the south runway.
Response & Investigation
Helicopters from Hong Kong’s Government Flying Service were deployed above the affected area, and vessels from the Fire Services Department participated in rescue operations throughout the morning. The Civil Aviation Department is coordinating with the airline and relevant parties to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. Authorities later stated that weather conditions and runway safety were not factors in the incident.Emirates confirmed the aircraft sustained damage on landing and stated there was no cargo onboard at the time of the accident.
2025 Deadliest for aviation in recent years,
The year 2025 has been one of the deadliest for aviation in recent years, with civil aviation fatalities exceeding 500—nearly double the past decade’s average of 284 deaths per year. As of October 2025, there have been multiple major crashes involving commercial aircraft, military planes, and general aviation.
Deadliest Commercial Crashes
Air India Flight 171 – June 12, 2025: The deadliest accident of 2025 and the entire 2020s decade occurred when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport, India. All but one of the 242 passengers and crew were killed, along with 19 people on the ground, bringing the total death toll to 260. This marked the first fatal crash and hull loss of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
American Airlines Flight 5342 – January 29, 2025: A Bombardier CRJ700 collided mid-air with a US Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, crashing into the Potomac River.
All 64 people aboard the airliner and all 3 helicopter crew members perished, totaling 67 deaths. This was the first major aircraft accident in the United States in 16 years.
Angara Airlines Flight 2311 – July 24, 2025: An Antonov An-24RV crashed on final approach during its second landing attempt at Tynda Airport in Amur Oblast, Russia, killing all 42 passengers and 6 crew members.
Other Fatal Commercial CrashesBering Air Flight 445 – February 6, 2025: A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan operating from Unalakleet to Nome, Alaska, disappeared and was found 34 miles from Nome with all 10 people onboard dead.
Med Jets Flight 056 – January 31, 2025: A Learjet 55 air ambulance crashed into a residential area of Philadelphia shortly after takeoff, killing all 6 people aboard plus 2 on the ground, with 23 others injured��.Light Air Services crash – January 29, 2025: A Beechcraft 1900 crashed shortly after takeoff from Unity oilfield in South Sudan, killing 20 of 21 people onboard.
Lanhsa Airlines Flight 018 – March 17, 2025: A British Aerospace Jetstream crashed into the sea at Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport in Honduras, killing 13 of 18 people aboard, including Honduran musician Aurelio Martínez.
IBM Airlines cargo crash – May 3, 2025: A Boeing 737-290C Advanced was destroyed at Nyala Airport by the Sudanese Armed Forces during the civil war, killing all 20 occupants.
Cessna Citation II crash – May 22, 2025: The aircraft crashed in a residential area of San Diego, California, killing all 6 people aboard.
Military and Government Aircraft
Bangladesh Air Force crash – July 21, 2025: A Chengdu FT-7BGI trainer crashed into a school shortly after takeoff, killing the pilot and 35 people on the ground.
Ghana Air Force crash – August 6, 2025: A Harbin Z-9EH helicopter crashed on a forested mountainside in Ashanti Region, killing all 5 passengers and 3 crew, including Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
Colombian Police helicopter – August 21, 2025: A Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk was shot down by FARC dissidents during an anti-narcotics mission in Antioquia, killing 13 officers.
Survivable Crashes
Delta Connection Flight 4819 – February 17, 2025: A Bombardier CRJ900 crashed and overturned on landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport with all 80 occupants surviving, though 21 were injured.
Air Busan Flight 391 – January 28, 2025: An Airbus A321 caught fire before takeoff from Gimhae International Airport in South Korea; all 176 people evacuated safely with only 7 minor injuries.
Emirates SkyCargo Flight 9788 – October 20, 2025: The Boeing 747 freighter skidded off the runway into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport, killing 2 ground workers but all 4 crew survived.
United States Statistics
As of April 2025, the National Transportation Safety Board documented approximately 153 aircraft accidents within the United States, with 23 classified as fatal incidents. Throughout 2024, the US recorded approximately 1,417 aircraft accidents with 258 fatal events, though these include all aircraft types, not just commercial operations.The combination of multiple high-profile commercial crashes, military incidents, and general aviation accidents has made 2025 significantly more deadly than recent years, with total fatalities substantially exceeding historical averages.
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