Japan-bound Cathay Pacific flight turns back to Hong Kong after cargo door ‘found unlocked’ mid-air
- Source says flight CX596 landed safely at around 9.43am with no injuries, as Fire Services Department responds to report of cargo door ‘found unlocked’
- Flight operated by Cathay’s budget arm HK Express and bound for Taiwan also returns to city after issue with wing flap detected
A Cathay Pacific Airways plane carrying more than 290 people and bound for Japan was forced to return to Hong Kong on Friday morning after a cargo door on the aircraft was “found unlocked”, the Post learned.
Flight CX596 had to turn back to Hong Kong International Airport at around 9.15am, about 30 minutes after take-off, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.
“A sensor’s light was activated, warning the cargo door was not being properly closed,” the source said. “As a result, the plane had to return to Hong Kong’s airport.”
Fire engines and ambulances were put on standby at 9.28am after a report that the aircraft’s cargo door was “found unlocked”, a spokeswoman for the Fire Services Department said.
The plane landed safely at the airport at around 9.43am, with no injuries reported during the incident, the source noted.
It took off at 8.36am and was scheduled to arrive in Osaka in the afternoon.
The city’s flag carrier said the plane “followed the standard precautionary procedure of making a flight return to Hong Kong following a signal indication during the flight”, giving no details about the door issue.