US investigators, Turkish experts to help Hong Kong with fatal plane crash probe
Independent US government agency to send team for probe into cargo plane crash as crew members meet authorities ahead of salvage operations
A US transport safety agency is sending five investigators to Hong Kong to help with a local probe into a cargo plane crash that killed two security workers, while experts from the Turkish civil aviation authority will also provide assistance.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an independent US government agency responsible for investigating civil transport accidents, said on social media on Wednesday that it would send five people to the city.
“The NTSB is sending a team of five investigators to Hong Kong to assist the [city’s] Air Accident Investigation Authority [AAIA] investigation into Monday’s runway excursion at Hong Kong International Airport involving a Boeing 747-418 owned by Turkish cargo airline ACT Airlines,” it said.
The US agency is responsible for determining the probable cause of civil transport accidents and formulating safety recommendations to prevent future occurrences.
The board maintains limited resources to investigate aviation crashes, despite the current US government shutdown.
On Monday, Emirates flight 9788 from Dubai, operated by Turkish cargo charter carrier ACT Airlines, veered off the runway while landing at around 3.50am.