A Japan Airlines plane caught fire following an apparent collision with a smaller coastguard aircraft on the runway at Tokyo’s Haneda airport. The incident resulted in the tragic death of five out of six crew members on the coastguard plane, with the captain sustaining injuries. All 379 passengers and crew on the Japan Airlines flight were safely evacuated.
The distressing scene, captured on video, depicted flames engulfing the airliner and the runway ablaze. Emergency crews are currently working to extinguish the fire on the plane, which had arrived from Sapporo, Hokkaido.
Japan Airlines Flight 516, originating from Sapporo’s New Chitose airport, was scheduled to land at Haneda at 17:40 local time. The airline is assessing the extent of the damage, and the cause of the collision remains uncertain. Authorities in Tokyo have initiated an investigation to determine how and when the two aircraft collided.
The coastguard aircraft, en route from Haneda to Niigata airport for a rescue and relief mission related to a recent earthquake in Ishikawa, had four other planes on a similar mission. Tragically, all five crew members on board lost their lives.
Haneda airport temporarily closed all runways in the aftermath of the incident. The situation is evolving, and further updates are expected as investigations progress.