The Civil Aviation Department has formed a team to investigate today's emergency landing of a Cathay Pacific Airbus with engine problems at Hong Kong International Airport. Eight passengers were injured in the incident.

Flight CX780 from Surabaya, with 13 crew and 309 passengers, landed at 1.43pm, with the heavy braking causing smoke as all four tyres on the left of the aircraft and two on the right deflated. They are designed to deflate in emergency situations to prevent them from bursting.

Four male and four female passengers were injured in the incident. Two were sent to Yan Chai Hospital and have been discharged, while six remain in Princess Margaret Hospital.

Director of Civil Aviation Norman Lo said investigators are collecting data and will conduct interviews with crew. A preliminary report will be submitted in a month.

"We will take fuel samples for examination and investigators will also study the data obtained from the digital flight data recorder."

The department will liaise with the Hong Kong Observatory to see if the weather was a contributing factor.

The incident closed a runway for about two and a half hours causing slight delays to 35 flights.