Flights Operate Normally as Cargo Aircraft Salvage Operation Starts

(Hong Kong, 23 October 2025, 2100hrs) – The professional team commissioned by Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has launched the salvage operation and will remove the cargo aircraft involved in the incident on 20 October.

Before the operation started, experts deployed by the team conducted an underwater sonar survey last night, followed by another thorough underwater survey and other preparation work by divers dispatched from salvage vessel “Nan Tian Xiang”, which arrived at waters off Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) today. Flight operations at HKIA have remained normal since the salvage work started.

Another salvage vessel “Nan Tian Peng” is expected to arrive in Hong Kong tonight.

Equipped with large cranes, the two vessels operate near the North Runway. As the height of the vessels exceed restriction, the North Runway has been closed temporarily while the salvage work is being conducted. To ensure smooth flight operations, the vessels can swiftly move away from the height restriction zone of the North Runway to enable the North Runway to reopen in as quickly as three hours.