A Japanese airline aircraft was overcome with flames after a possible collision with a coast guard aircraft at the Tokyo airport. The 379 passengers on the Japanese aircraft were safely evacuated miraculously, while five crew members of the Coast Guard flight have reportedly died.
JAL Flight 516, an Airbus A350-900, caught fire after landing when it collided with a smaller coastguard aircraft that was waiting to deliver aid to the earthquake-hit Noto peninsula. The captain successfully stopped the burning plane, allowing 379 passengers, including eight children and 12 crew members, to evacuate through inflatable slides at the front of the aircraft, amidst a smoke-filled cabin.
The jet was soon engulfed with flames and 14 of the survivors from the passenger craft have sustained injuries, some to their throats even. Four have been taken to the hospital.
Lives lost in Japanese flight collision
In the collision between JAL Flight 516, an Airbus A350-900, and the coastguard plane, a De Havilland Canada DHC-8 (Dash 8), five out of six people on the Dash 8 lost their lives. The captain of the Coast Guard aircraft survived with injuries. According to Shigenori Hiraoka, the head of the transport ministry’s civil aviation bureau, the incident happened as the passenger plane landed on runway C, one of the airport’s four runways, where the coastguard aircraft was also preparing for takeoff.
Survivor Accounts
The Guardian interviewed the survivors of the Japanese aircraft collision, who recounted the experience of sparks, smoke, and the urgency to exit. Some passengers mentioned difficulty opening the rear and middle doors. The evacuation took place through the front, where flames erupted from both wings. Images and video footage captured the intense fire and smoke trailing the aircraft.
Passengers described the cabin as filling with smoke, and some felt their lives were in danger. Emergency doors were opened, and chaos ensued as people evacuated. The plane was extinguished three hours after the initial impact, with firefighters addressing the blaze. The investigation is focused on understanding why both planes were on the same runway, with communication between air traffic control and the planes becoming a key aspect. The coastguard plane was en route to deliver aid to the earthquake-hit Noto peninsula.
PM’s response
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida praised the crew members’ dedication to aiding earthquake victims. The airport suspended domestic flights for the day, and international operations continued. Airbus announced it was sending specialists to assist. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed 12 Australians on board, all escaping uninjured.
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