HONG KONG (AP) - On Tuesday, Hong Kong authorities announced preparations to reopen the runway where a cargo aircraft had crashed a day earlier. The runway, however, will not be used for regular flights until the wreckage from the accident has been completely cleared.
The incident involved a Boeing 747 operated by Turkey-based ACT Airlines, which was arriving from Dubai. Early Monday morning, the aircraft skidded off the runway after landing, veering to the left and colliding with a patrol car. This accident resulted in the tragic deaths of two workers in the car, while all four crew members aboard the aircraft were reported to be uninjured.
Steven Yiu, the airport authority's executive director for airport operations, provided updates to Radio Television Hong Kong, noting that repairs to the runway and the damaged fencing had been completed. Investigators have already collected initial evidence at the accident scene, but the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder have yet to be retrieved.
Officials plan to place the runway on standby status by Tuesday noon, allowing for landings but not including the runway in regular flight scheduling. Yiu emphasized that this standby status would remain in effect until the wreckage is entirely cleared from the nearby sea.
In preparation for the recovery process, Hong Kong authorities have been in contact with barge companies to facilitate the removal of the wreckage. However, Yiu stated that no recovery work could commence while Tropical Storm Fengshen continued to affect the area. The airport planned to complete the removal of the wreckage and associated tasks within a week, weather permitting.
As part of the ongoing investigation into the cause of the crash, authorities will continue to gather evidence following the clearance of the wreckage. Yiu mentioned that initial assessments indicated that both weather and runway conditions were within acceptable standards at the time of the incident. Investigators are yet to examine potential mechanical and human factors that could have contributed to the crash.
Monday's incident marked the second fatal crash for ACT Airlines. The previous incident occurred in 2017 when a Boeing 747, operated by ACT Airlines under the name MyCargo, crashed while preparing to land in foggy conditions in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. That crash resulted in the deaths of all four crew members on board and 35 individuals on the ground. A subsequent investigation by Kyrgyz authorities attributed the cause of that crash to pilot error, as the crew misjudged their aircraft's position during landing in adverse weather. Reports indicated that the crew was fatigued and had a contentious exchange with air traffic control before the tragedy unfolded.
As investigations into the recent crash continue, authorities remain focused on ensuring safety and procedural adherence in the wake of these troubling events involving ACT Airlines.
