Cargo aircraft skids off Hong Kong airport runway into sea, 2 dead
Hong Kong (AP): A cargo aircraft skidded off a Hong Kong runway into the sea when landing early Monday, killing two people.
The Boeing 747, flown by Turkey-based ACT Airlines, was landing at Hong Kong International Airport around 3.50 am on arrival from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, authorities said. The airline had leased the aircraft from Emirates, a long-haul carrier based in Dubai.
Four crew members on the plane were rescued and taken to a hospital. Initial reports from police said two people in an airport ground vehicle were killed.
Emirates said the Boeing 747 freighter flying as EK9788 was wet leased and operated by ACT Airlines. In wet leases, the company supplying the plane also provides the crew, maintenance and insurance. Emirates said there was no cargo on board.
Local Hong Kong broadcasters showed the aircraft partially submerged just off the edge of the airport's sea wall. The aircraft's front half and cockpit were visible above water but the tail end appearing to have broken off.
The crash occurred on the north runway of Hong Kong's airport, one of Asia's busiest. That runway remained closed, while the two other runways at the airport continue to operate.
Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department said in a statement it was following up with the airlines and other parties involved in the crash.
Emirates, the Dubai-based long haul carrier, is known for its passenger flights coming out of Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel.
However, it also operates a thriving cargo business out of Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, the sheikhdom's second airport where it plans a USD 35 billion improvement over the coming decade. The ACT Airlines' flight had taken off from Al Maktoum, known as DWC.
Emirates, owned by a sovereign wealth fund in the city-state, noted in its most-recent annual report that it had added two wet-leased Boeing 747s "to serve surging customer demand." Emirates has some 260 aircraft in its fleet, the majority either Boeing 777s or double-decker Airbus A380s.
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Delegation requests for Karnataka HC Bench in coastal districts, hands petition to Chief Justice
Udupi: A delegation of the High Court Bench Struggle Committee met and submitted a petition to the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru at the Circuit House urging the opening of a High Court Bench in the coastal belt as well as a Mobile High Court Bench in Mangaluru.
MLC and convener of the Committee Ivan D’Souza, who spoke to the Chief Justice on the occasion, explained that the people of the coastal belt find it difficult to travel to Bengaluru to fight a petition in the High Court. The problem only aggravated during monsoon. D’Souza added that there was a delay in clearing the cases of Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu districts, which was causing further inconvenience to the people.
The MLC, who pointed out that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had also shown his preference for establishing a High Court Bench in the coastal region, requested for an approval to establish a Mobile High Court Bench first.
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Responding to this request, Chief Justice Bakhru assured to take action on the request as soon as possible.
The delegation included Mangalore Bar Association President Raghavendra HV, Dakshina Kannada Principal Government Pleader MP Noronha, General Secretary Sridhar H, Udupi Bar Association President Reynold Praveen Kumar, General Secretary Chandrashekhar Shetty, Vice-president Devadas V Shettigar and Brahmavar Bar Association President Kadoor Praveen Shetty.
