Hong Kong airport closes runway as salvage vessels arrive to clear wrecked plane
Two vessels will lift the two sections of plane during operation expected to ‘last for a few days’, Airport Authority says
Hong Kong airport’s north runway has been temporarily closed as two salvage vessels with an 80-member crew have arrived to lift a crashed cargo plane that veered off its path and killed two security workers who were in a vehicle.
The Airport Authority said that the north runway had been closed from 8am on Thursday, with the operation to salvage the aircraft, which ended up in the sea and broke into two sections, expected to “last for a few days”.
A source said that police questioned the aircraft’s four Turkish crew members on Thursday.
The Post also learned that the force was conducting its own investigation so the Coroner’s Court could decide whether an inquest was needed.
“With the support of Guangzhou Salvage Bureau, Chu Kong Passenger Transport Company has been commissioned to deploy two professional lift vessels to lift the cargo aircraft from the waters,” the authority said.
Two salvage vessels, Nan Tian Xiang and Nan Tian Peng, with a maximum lifting capacity of 350 and 500 tonnes respectively, arrived in the waters near Hong Kong International Airport at 5am and 7pm respectively.