2 reported dead after cargo plane slides off runway in Hong Kong

A cargo plane flying from Dubai skidded off the runway into the sea while landing at Hong Kong International Airport early on Monday, the city's airport operator said, with local media reporting the deaths of two people.

Photos taken after the accident showed a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft with AirACT livery partially submerged in water near the airport's sea wall with an escape slide deployed and the nose and tail sections separated.

The four crew members on board the plane were rescued, the Hong Kong airport said in a statement.

Two people who were inside a ground vehicle near the runway that was suspected to have been struck by the aircraft have died, the South China Morning Post reported, citing police.

Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The northern runway at the world's busiest cargo airport is closed after the incident, Hong Kong International Airport said, adding the south and central runways would continue to operate.

The accident occurred around 3:50 am Hong Kong time on Monday (1950 GMT on Sunday).

Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department said in a statement on Monday that the aircraft had "deviated from the north runway after landing and ditched into the sea."

"Two ground staff were affected and fell into the sea, and their conditions are pending confirmation."

Emirates said in a statement that flight EK9788 sustained damage on landing in Hong Kong on Monday and was a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft wet-leased from and operated by ACT Airlines.

"Crew are confirmed to be safe and there was no cargo onboard," Emirates said.

ACT Airlines is a Turkish carrier that provides extra cargo capacity to major airlines. It did not respond immediately to a request for comment outside normal business hours.

Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 said the aircraft involved in the accident was 32 years old and had served as a passenger plane before being converted into a freighter.

Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department said it had reported the incident to the city's Air Accident Investigation Authority and it would support the investigation.