Calay News
In a harrowing incident at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, all 379 people aboard a Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350 survived a fiery collision with a Coast Guard aircraft. The smaller aircraft’s five out of six crew members lost their lives in the tragic incident that unfolded shortly before 6 p.m. (0900 GMT).
Live footage broadcast by NHK captured the JAL Airbus A350 bursting into flames as it skidded down the tarmac. Passengers were seen evacuating through emergency slides, with social media videos showing chaotic scenes inside the smoke-filled cabin. Miraculously, all 367 passengers and 12 crew members were evacuated, although the fire raged for over six hours before being extinguished.
Satoshi Yamake, a passenger, recounted the frightening moment, stating, “I felt the airplane tilt to the side at the runway and felt a big bump. The flight attendants told us to stay calm and instructed us to get off the plane.”
Fourteen people on the JAL plane suffered injuries, though none were life-threatening. Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito confirmed the deaths of five Coast Guard crew members, while the JAL plane’s 39-year-old captain escaped with injuries.
The incident occurred during the JAL plane’s landing attempt when it collided with the Coast Guard’s Dash-8 maritime patrol plane. Despite the tragedy, no reports of engine or other issues were noted before the landing.
The Coast Guard aircraft was en route to deliver aid to the victims of a powerful New Year’s Day earthquake, and there were no official comments from the government or police on the arrest reports.
International aviation experts and passengers praised the swift evacuation. Paul Hayes, director of air safety at Ascend by Cirium, noted the effective cabin crew response, calling the evacuation a “miracle.”
Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the collision, involving the Japan Transport Safety Board, French representatives (where the plane was built), and British representatives (where its engines were manufactured). Airbus is sending technical advisers to assist in the investigation. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed sorrow over the Coast Guard crew’s deaths and assured that the accident would not impact earthquake relief efforts.
