Hong Kong International Airport has staged a large-scale emergency drill to test its ability to respond to a major aircraft accident, with more than 1,000 personnel and hundreds of volunteers taking part.
The annual aircraft crash and rescue exercise was held on the airport’s centre runway in the early hours of Tuesday, starting at 2.15am and concluding around four hours later.
It simulated a departing flight forced to abort take-off after smoke was reported from a passenger’s power bank.
In the simulation, the aircraft carrying 120 passengers attempted to stop on the runway but suffered a burst tyre while braking.
It then veered off the runway as its landing gear collapsed and a fire broke out on tarmac.
Air traffic controllers immediately activated the crash alarm, triggering a coordinated emergency response across the airport.
