Hong Kong’s Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) is working swiftly to deliver a preliminary report within a month on the October 20 cargo plane crash at Hong Kong International Airport, following the recovery of critical flight recorders to uncover the cause of the tragic incident that killed two security guards.
The AAIA is leading a comprehensive investigation into the accident involving Emirates flight UAE9788, a Boeing 747-400 cargo aircraft that veered off the North Runway after landing from Al Maktoum International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, colliding with an airport patrol vehicle and plunging into the sea.
The crash claimed the lives of two security personnel, prompting an urgent probe.
On October 24, investigators retrieved the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder, known as black boxes, and sent them to a laboratory for analysis to guide further investigation steps.
A professional salvage team, coordinated by the Airport Authority Hong Kong, continues to recover the aircraft wreckage to support detailed inspections.
The AAIA’s investigation will examine black box data, alongside interviews with relevant personnel, maintenance records, operating procedures, system status, weather conditions, and other factors to reconstruct the sequence of events.
The authority aims to release a preliminary report within 30 days, outlining initial findings, with a full investigation to follow to determine the crash’s causes and propose safety recommendations.
The probe, conducted under international aviation standards, involves collaboration with experts from the United States’ National Transportation Safety Board, Türkiye’s Transport Safety Investigation Center, and Boeing, who are providing specialized expertise.
The AAIA, an independent body under the Transport and Logistics Bureau, is responsible for investigating all civil aircraft accidents in Hong Kong, regardless of the aircraft’s origin.
The anticipated preliminary report will provide early insights into the tragedy, which has raised significant safety concerns at one of the world’s busiest airports, as authorities work to ensure such incidents are prevented in future.
