Plane wreckage removal to take 2 days, probe up to a year: Hong Kong experts
First step is to determine whether the aircraft’s two halves remain partially connected underwater, vessel specialist Louis Szeto says
The removal from the sea of a wrecked cargo plane that veered off a runway at Hong Kong airport and killed two security workers in a vehicle will take at least two days, with investigations into the crash expected to last up to a year, aviation experts have said.
Louis Szeto Ka-sing, a specialist in vessel design and maintenance, said on Friday that the first step in salvaging the cargo plane was to determine whether the two halves of the aircraft remained partially connected underwater.
He said authorities were likely to send divers to conduct a risk assessment of the wreckage.
“Taking photos and videos underwater can record any damage or wear and tear,” Szeto, a former chairman of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers’ mechanical, marine, naval architecture and chemical division, told a radio programme.
“It helps the crew know how to secure the slings and where to place them. If the secured position is too close to a fracture point, they need to work more cautiously to avoid damage.”
He added that it was crucial to determine if the plane’s fuel was completely depleted, as leaks could occur and pollute the environment.