China Eastern plane slides off Hong Kong runway

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 100m 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”. The north runway was forced to close for nearly two hours, delaying take-offs and landings until it was reopened at 12.40pm after the A321 aircraft was towed away.<br/>