Boeing 747 Skids Off Hong Kong Runway, Kills 2 Ground Staff

Published 3 hours ago·Updated 2 hours ago

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Above: Rescue workers at the wreckage of an AirACT cargo aircraft at Hong Kong International Airport on Oct. 20, 2025. Image copyright: Leung Man Hei/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

Hong Kong airport officials handled this tragic incident professionally and correctly. Weather conditions were fine and proper landing instructions were given to the cargo plane, which never sent any distress signals. The airport's safety systems worked as designed — the patrol car was properly positioned outside the runway fence, not intruding on operational areas.

BBC News Hong Kong Government

Government-critical narrative

A 32-year-old Boeing 747 inexplicably veered off the runway and plowed through security barriers. This crash exposes serious safety gaps at Hong Kong's supposedly world-class airport. The absence of any mayday call raises troubling questions about pilot training, aircraft maintenance and whether aging freighters should operate at such busy hubs.

Aero News Journal