Hong Kong B744 near Hong Kong on Jun 7th 2014, wing panel fractured in flight

An Air Hong Kong Boeing 747-400, registration B-HUS performing freight flight LD-782 from Hong Kong to Shanghai Pudong (China), had just reached FL310 when the crew felt strong vibrations of the airframe without any related instrument readings. The crew decided to return to Hong Kong where the aircraft landed safely about 25 minutes later. A post flight inspection revealed the inboard aft panel of the left hand wing had fractured.

The aircraft was out of service for repairs until Jun 14th.

The airline's parent company Cathay Pacific confirmed the crew felt unusual vibrations of the airframe prompting them to return to Hong Kong as a safety precaution. Another aircraft carried the cargo to Shanghai.

The damaged wing panel: