Trains on the MTR’s Airport Express line and the Tung Chung line between Sunny Bay and Tung Chung were suspended for several hours on Friday morning.
A spokesperson from the MTR Corporation told reporters that overhead cables were damaged near Sunny Bay station around 8am and that repairs to the power supply system were taking place. At the time, there was a train carrying around a thousand passengers nearby that was forced to return to Tung Chung station, he said.
Normal service resumed at 1:50pm.
During the morning, staff were seen carrying out repairs near the Sunny Bay station.
1149 Staff is working hard to get the track reopen for train services. Estimated recovery time 30 mins pic.twitter.com/BtdXqGHR3C
— MTR Service Update (@mtrupdate) October 14, 2016
In-town check-in services were suspended. Replacement bus services were running between Airport Express stations, as well as between Sunny Bay and Tung Chung.
The director of MTR’s Infrastructure Maintenance Department explained that the problem arose because the terminal cables that stabilised the overhead cables were damaged.
It was the first time that damage to terminal cables has occurred, the director said, adding that the company performs visual inspections of cables every three days.
