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Hong Kong salvage team pulls sections of cargo jet from sea

Eric Kulisch
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A salvage barge lifts the fuselage of an AirACT 747-400 freighter aircraft from the sea next to the North Runway at Hong Kong International Airport. (Photo: Hong Kong Airport Authority)
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Key Takeaways:

  • An AirACT freighter skidded off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport into the sea, killing two occupants of a security car it hit.
  • Salvage experts have recovered key aircraft components, including the tail section, an engine, landing gear, and the flight data recorder.
  • The accident is under investigation by the Hong Kong Air Accident Investigation Authority, with assistance from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
  • Flight operations at the airport remained largely normal throughout the week, though the North Runway was temporarily closed for recovery efforts.
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(UPDATED 7:05 a.m. ET, Oct. 27)

Salvage experts have retrieved the tail section, one engine, landing gear and the flight data recorder from the AirACT freighter aircraft that skidded off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport last Sunday, the airport authority said.

Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority is investigating the accident with help from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. 

Authorities utilized two barges for the collection effort next to the North Runway. The salvage team conducted an underwater sonar survey before divers were sent into the water to find pieces of the aircraft. All salvage operations are now completed, the airport authority said in an Oct. 27 news release.

Flight operations have remained normal most of the week since the accident, which occurred when the Boeing 747-400 cargo jet operated by AirACT under contract to Emirates lost control and went off the runway and into the sea. The plane hit a security car patrolling a perimeter road. The two occupants of the car were killed when the car was knocked into the sea. The crew of the aircraft escaped without injury.

The North Runway was temporarily closed while the barges, which have large cranes on them, conducted work. 

AirACT is based in Turkey.

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Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Parcel and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was runner up for News Journalist and Supply Chain Journalist of the Year in the Seahorse Freight Association's 2024 journalism award competition. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist. He won the group's Environmental Journalist of the Year award in 2014 and was the 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com Eric is the Parcel and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was runner up for News Journalist and Supply Chain Journalist of the Year in the Seahorse Freight Association's 2024 journalism award competition. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist. He won the group's Environmental Journalist of the Year award in 2014 and was the 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com