A cargo plane crashed into the sea after veering off a runway at Hong Kong International Airport, killing two men in a security patrol car. The incident occurred on Monday during landing, with the Boeing aircraft leaving the tarmac and hitting the vehicle before skidding into the water.

According to officials, an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident, which is one of the most serious incidents at the airport since it began operations in 1998. The plane, which was on a temporary lease from Act Airlines, operated by Emirates Airlines, had no cargo onboard, and its crew was confirmed safe.

Steven Yiu, executive director of airport operations at Airport Authority Hong Kong, stated that the plane went off the north runway upon landing and crashed through the fence into the sea at around 4 am. The patrol car was not on the runway at the time of the accident but was hit by the aircraft after it veered off the runway. The two men in the vehicle, aged 30 and 41, were retrieved from the sunken car by divers and confirmed dead.

Weather and runway conditions were reported to be safe at the time of the incident, with officials providing a diagram showing the plane abruptly turning left halfway down the length of the runway. The aircraft did not send an emergency signal and gave no reply when radioed by the airport.

The airport’s north runway was temporarily closed, while the other two runways remained operational. The incident is not expected to impact airport operations, according to Yiu. The Air Accident Investigation Authority will actively investigate the cause of the accident, and police may launch a criminal investigation.

The expansion of Hong Kong’s airport, which began flight operations on its third runway last November, cost HK$142 billion and took eight years to complete. The project aims to keep the city’s airport competitive as an aviation hub. The incident highlights the importance of ensuring safety measures are in place to prevent such accidents.

The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, and authorities will provide updates as more information becomes available. For now, the focus is on determining the circumstances surrounding the crash and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.