Tokyo: Japan Airlines flight JAL516 has erupted into flames upon arrival into Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Tuesday after hitting a static smaller plane on the runway. At least five persons, who were among the six member crew of a Coast Guard plan, died in the accident.
It is understood the A350 collided with a coast guard plane, which was a smaller plane, was bound for central Japan after Monday’s huge earthquake.
In the video going viral, flames are seen coming out from under the plane. The plane reportedly caught fire after colliding with a coast guard aircraft.
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The Tokyo fire department said the fire was likely caused by a collision between the plane and a Japan coast guard aircraft. At the same time, the Japan’s ministry of transport and tourism said that it is investigating the matter.
According to the information, it is being said that the Japan Airlines flight caught fire after the collision with the coast guard plane. When the plane caught fire, there were 379 people on board.
According to local media, all the people from the plane have been evacuated safely. However, five crew of the Coast Guard plane died.
Video posted to social media platform X showed people sliding down an inflatable emergency slide from the side of the passenger plane while flames shot out from the rear of the aircraft.
The ill-fated A350 flight had 12 crew onboard were also taken off swiftly before dozens of fire engines with flashing blue lights sprayed the fuselage. They however failed to put out the flames coming out of windows near the wings and the blaze soon engulfed the entire aircraft.
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The passenger plane had arrived from New Chitose Airport serving Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido. Those on board included eight children. “Smoke began to fill the plane, and I thought, ‘this could be really bad'”, said one of the passengers at the airport.
Coast guard plane was preparing to fly to Ishikawa
Reports said that the coast guard plane was gearing up to take off for Ishikawa prefecture to deliver supplies after the devastating New Year’s Day earthquake, which killed at least 48 people in Japan.
Japan’s prime minister Fumio Kishida lauded the role of the deceased crew members on their way to help the victims of the quake. “These were employees who had a high sense of mission and responsibility for the affected areas. It’s very regrettable. I express my respect and gratitude to their sense of mission,” he told reporters.
