Reason behind fatal runway veer 'to be detemined': Air ACT

All four crew members aboard the Emirates SkyCargo Boeing 747-400 freighter that veered off the runway and plunged into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport were confirmed to be Turkish nationals, while the cargo carrier involved said the reason behind the plane's veering off the runway "have not yet been determined."

The aircraft, operated by Turkish carrier Air ACT Cargo, reportedly veered sharply to the left during landing on the airport’s north runway before crashing through a perimeter fence and ending up in the water. The four crew members escaped without injury, though two airport security staff in a patrol vehicle struck by the plane were killed.

Air ACT issued a statement noting that the cargo plane veered off the runway after landing for reasons that have not yet been determined. The company is in close contact with authorities and fully cooperating with the investigation. Air ACT also expressed condolences for the two fatalities and extended deep sympathies to their families.

According to sources, the crew comprised 35-year-old captain Atilia-Silifke Yilmaz, 44-year-old first officer Candemir Ulker, 35-year-old load controller Caner Durgut, and 46-year-old flight engineer Muzaffer Tuydu.

Public records indicate that Tuydu, the flight engineer, has worked in aviation since 2005, having served at four different airlines before joining Air ACT in 2014, where he has remained for over a decade.

Durgut, the load controller, has been in the industry since 2010 and has worked for five airlines before joining Air ACT in 2021.

At a media briefing on Monday morning, the Airport Authority said the weather and runway conditions were suitable for operations at the time of the accident. It confirmed that the control tower had received no distress call or request for assistance from the aircraft before it deviated off course midway down the runway. Attempts by air traffic controllers to contact the pilots after the deviation went unanswered.

The Airport Authority added that it has contacted the airline and aircraft owner, who are en route to Hong Kong to discuss the removal of the wreckage once the investigation allows.

The freighter involved was operated by Air ACT Cargo, a Turkish logistics carrier that previously had investment ties with China’s HNA Group, which purchased a 49 percent stake for US$25 million in 2011 before selling it in 2017. The airline is now wholly owned by its founder, Yavuz Cizmeci.

Air ACT has experienced multiple aviation incidents in its operational history, including a 2017 crash in Kyrgyzstan that killed 37 people when one of its Boeing 747 freighters overshot a runway and struck a residential area near Bishkek’s Manas Airport.

(Updated at 7.51pm)