China Eastern plane slides off runway after landing at Hong Kong International Airport in downpour
Aircraft arriving from Nanjing veered off tarmac and came to stop on grass, closing north runway for almost two hours; bad weather affected about 700 flights
A China Eastern Airlines plane carrying 141 passengers and crew slid off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport on Wednesday as torrential downpours lashed the city, triggering the first black rainstorm warning signal of the year.
Heavy rain flooded roads, felled trees, disrupted traffic and forced schools to close, while about 700 flights to and from the city were delayed or cancelled.
The Observatory said three warnings were issued within about eight hours, as more than 100 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in most parts of the city. At 6.40am, the amber rainstorm warning signal was issued. This was upgraded to red at 9.15am and to black, the highest level, at 11.30am. All the signals were lowered at 3pm as the rain eased off.
The Airport Authority said flight MU765 from Nanjing had landed and was taxiing on the north runway at around 10.50am when it veered off the tarmac and came to a halt on the grassy side.
“It eventually stopped with its nose wheel and the right-hand main landing gear rested on the grass area,”the Civil Aviation Department said, adding that it was being investigated as a “serious incident”.
No injuries were reported, but two female passengers who complained of feeling unwell upon reaching the passenger terminal building were sent to North Lantau Hospital.