Nearly 400 passengers aboard a Japan Airlines flight miraculously survived after the plane collided with a smaller aircraft on the runway and burst into flames.
Japan Airlines flight JAL-516 just set wheels down on the tarmac at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Tuesday when it reportedly collided with a Japanese Coast Guard aircraft that was getting ready to fly out emergency supplies, the Associated Press reported.
The captain of the smaller Bombardier Dash-8 plane was critically injured but the five other crew members died in the fiery explosion. The Japan Airlines flight was carrying 379 people who all managed to get to safety with a few injuries reported, according to Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito.
The tragic scene unfolded as the nation grappled with a 7.6-magnitude earthquake that left a current death toll of 48 people in its wake.
Videos of the horrifying airport scene show the fireball spreading after the passenger plane, an Airbus A350, touched down at Haneda International Airport. Some video footage was even taken inside the plane as terrified passengers could see the flames outside.
According to the transport minister, the plane had arrived from Shin Chitose Airport near the city of Sapporo.
Footage from inside Japan Airlines plane that crashed
pic.twitter.com/6Do4qwNMeZ— Pubity (@pubity) January 2, 2024
“The coast guard pilot reported to his base that his aircraft exploded after colliding with the commercial plane, Vice Commander Yoshio Seguchi told reporters,” according to AP.
The smaller plane was going to deliver supplies to Niigata for those affected by the deadly earthquake that struck the region, according to Coast Guard spokesperson Yoshinori Yanagishima.
All 400 passengers and crew on Japan Airlines safe. JAL staff amazing. How can everyone get out?
pic.twitter.com/K4nhyNmgMX— Fat Cat (@FATCAed) January 2, 2024
“Shigenori Hiraoka, head of the Transport Ministry Civil Aviation Bureau, said the collision occurred when the JAL plane landed on one of Haneda’s four runways where the coast guard aircraft was preparing to take off. Transport safety officials were analyzing communication between aviation control officials and the two aircraft and planned to interview JAL officials to determine what led to the collision,” AP reported.
A teen passenger on the Japan Airlines flight told Aftonbladet that “the entire cabin was filled with smoke within a few minutes. We threw ourselves down on the floor. Then the emergency doors were opened and we threw ourselves at them.”
“The smoke in the cabin stung like hell. It was a hell. We have no idea where we are going so we just run out into the field. It was chaos,” 17-year-old Anton Deibe told the Swedish newspaper.
Japan Airlines plane in flames on runway at Tokyo’s Haneda airport.
All 379 passengers and crew on board were evacuated. #Japan #Tokyo #HanedaAirport #JapanAirlines #WhatsApp #TruckDriversProtest Creta Hit & Run Jisoo #earthquakes #japanearthquake2024
pic.twitter.com/cGbxkRBxP0 pic.twitter.com/dsuYfPomg8— RD चौधरी (@RD_CHOUDHARY07) January 2, 2024
#WATCH | A Japan Airlines jet was engulfed in flames at Tokyo’s Haneda airport after a possible collision with a Coast Guard aircraft, with the airline saying that all 379 passengers and crew had been safely evacuated: Reuters
(Source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/fohKUjk8U9
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2024
“I felt a boom like we had hit something and jerked upward the moment we landed,” another passenger told the Kyodo news agency. “I saw sparks outside the window and the cabin filled with gas and smoke.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.