HONG KONG: A cargo plane flying from Dubai skidded off the runway into the sea while landing at Hong Kong International Airport, the city's airport operator said on Monday (Oct 20), with local media reporting the deaths of two people.

The northern runway at the airport is closed after the incident, Hong Kong International Airport said, adding the south and central runways would continue to operate.

The accident occurred around 3.50am Hong Kong time on Monday (7.50pm GMT on Sunday), and the airport confirmed the aircraft was carrying an Emirates flight number. Emirates did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The four crew members on board were rescued, the international airport said in the statement. One ground staff member was rescued as well, while another was missing.

The South China Morning Post later reported the deaths of two men aboard a ground vehicle, citing police.

Flightradar24, a flight-tracking service, said the aircraft that went off the runway in Hong Kong was a Boeing 747 freighter, according to a social media post.

FlightRadar24 said on X that the plane belonged to AirACT, a Turkish airline that provides extra cargo capacity to major carriers. AirACT did not respond immediately to a request for comment outside normal business hours.