At Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Tuesday, a collision between a passenger aircraft and a Japanese coast guard plane resulted in a fiery blaze.
Tetsuo Saito, the Transport Minister, made it known that all those aboard Japan Airlines flight JAL-516 got out safely prior to the aircraft being completely consumed by fire. The pilot of the coast guard plane was also able to escape, unfortunately five of the crewmembers did not make it, according to Saito.
Footage from local television captured an immense eruption of fire and smoke bursting out of the side of a Japan Airlines plane as it traveled along the taxiway. The area around the wing was soon engulfed in flames. An hour later, the aircraft was engulfed in a full blaze.
The Minister of Transportation reported that the JAL plane was an Airbus A-350 which had just completed a flight from Shin Chitose, located near Sapporo, to Haneda.
Yoshinori Yanagishima, a Coast Guard spokesman, revealed the aircraft used for the flight was a Bombardier Dash-8 MA-722, based in Haneda. The plane was meant to bring aid to those affected by the devastating earthquake in Niigata on Monday, which has caused the death of at least 48 individuals.
Saito reported that Haneda Airport is shut down while the accident is being looked into by aviation protection experts and police, yet they are doing their utmost to bring the airport back up and running by Wednesday or even before.
During the New Year festivities, Haneda Airport is highly frequented, as it is one of the busiest airports in Japan.