A Japan Airlines plane caught fire following a suspected collision with a smaller coastguard aircraft while on the runway at Tokyo’s Haneda airport.
Despite the successful evacuation of all 379 passengers and crew aboard the airliner, tragically, five out of the six crew members on the coastguard plane lost their lives, with the captain sustaining injuries.
Videos depicted the flames engulfing the Japan Airlines aircraft, with the runway ablaze as well. Firefighting teams continue their efforts to extinguish the fire on the plane, which had arrived from Sapporo on Hokkaido island.
The flight, Japan Airlines Flight 516, departed from New Chitose airport in Sapporo at 16:00 local time (07:00 GMT) and was due to land at Haneda at 17:40.
“We are presently evaluating the extent of the damage,” stated the airline, as reported by public broadcaster NHK.
Tokyo police confirmed the deaths of the five coastguard crew members and highlighted the severe injury sustained by the pilot.
The cause of the collision remains unclear, with the coastguard initiating an investigation to determine how and when the two aircraft collided.
Earlier reports from Japan Airlines indicated that the incident occurred after their plane had landed, NHK conveyed.
The coastguard aircraft was en route from Haneda to Niigata airport to assist in rescue efforts following Monday’s earthquake in Ishikawa. It was part of a mission involving four planes dispatched to the quake-stricken area.
Television footage showcased numerous fire trucks at the scene while smoke and flames emanated from the affected plane.
A witness posted a photo showing a sizable crowd observing the unfolding situation.
“I was on board. I’m safe. Thank goodness,” she shared on X, the platform formerly referred to as Twitter.
Haneda airport shut down all its runways subsequent to the incident, according to a spokesperson cited by Reuters.