Five folks aboard a Japan coast guard plane died Tuesday when it hit a Japan Airlines passenger aircraft on the bottom in a fiery collision at Tokyo’s Haneda airport.

All 379 passengers and crew on board the passenger aircraft which burst into flames had been safely evacuated, Japanese transport minister Tetsuo Saito informed reporters.

But 5 of the six crew members from the smaller aircraft — sure for central Japan after Monday’s large earthquake — died, Saito stated.

The captain escaped and survived however was injured, he stated, cautioning that “we’re not at the stage to explain the cause” of the accident.
 

JAL aircraft on fireplace at Tokyo Airport
pic.twitter.com/EL9s7kVJbi

— アトリン ✊🏾 (@phoojux) January 2, 2024

Television and unverified footage shared on social media confirmed the Japan Airlines (JAL) airliner transferring alongside the runway earlier than a big eruption of orange flames and black smoke burst from beneath and behind it.

Video posted to social media platform X confirmed folks sliding down an inflatable emergency slide from the aspect of the passenger aircraft whereas flames shot out from the rear of the plane.

All 367 passengers plus 12 crew onboard had been swiftly taken off the aircraft earlier than dozens of fireplace engines with flashing blue lights sprayed the fuselage.

They nevertheless didn’t put out the flames popping out of home windows close to the wings and the blaze quickly engulfed all the plane.
 

Japan airways aircraft on fireplace at Haneda Airport Tokyo. pic.twitter.com/3TZfxHVZkR

— Taurus4🇺🇦ShoTimeFella🎗️ (@Atacms_4_Ukr) January 2, 2024

The aircraft, reportedly an Airbus 350, had arrived from New Chitose Airport serving Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido. Those on board included eight kids.

“Smoke began to fill the plane, and I thought, ‘this could be really bad'”, an grownup male passenger informed reporters on the airport.

“An announcement said doors in the back and middle could not be opened. So everyone disembarked from the front,” he stated.

A feminine passenger stated it had been darkish on board as the fireplace intensified after touchdown.

“It was getting hot inside the plane, and I thought, to be honest, I would not survive,” she stated in feedback proven on broadcaster NHK.

– ‘Sense of mission’ –

The coast guard aircraft had been getting ready to fly to Ishikawa prefecture to ship provides after the devastating New Year’s Day earthquake which killed at the very least 48 folks.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida praised the deceased crew members on their means to assist 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,” he informed reporters.

“I express my respect and gratitude to their sense of mission,” Kishida stated.

JAL stated the passenger aircraft both collided with the opposite plane on a runway or a taxiway after it touched down, Kyodo reported.

There was additionally burning particles on the runway at Haneda, one of many world’s busiest airports.

Haneda suspended home flights, in accordance with its web site, however most worldwide takeoffs and landings had been nonetheless working.

A transport ministry official stated investigations into the incident had been ongoing, together with exchanges between the flights and air visitors management.

Japan has not suffered a severe business aviation accident in a long time.

Its worst ever was in 1985, when a JAL jumbo jet flying from Tokyo to Osaka crashed in central Gunma area, killing 520 passengers and crew.

That catastrophe was one of many world’s deadliest aircraft crashes involving a single flight.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)