On a fateful day, tragedy struck the skies as a Japanese passenger plane collided with a Coast Guard aircraft, resulting in a fiery catastrophe that claimed the lives of five individuals. However, amidst the chaos and devastation, there was also hope and resilience as hundreds were successfully evacuated to safety.
The collision occurred unexpectedly, sending shockwaves through the aviation community and leaving investigators scrambling for answers. The fiery aftermath was a harrowing sight, with billowing smoke and flames engulfing both aircraft. It was an incident that highlighted the inherent risks associated with air travel.
Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito confirmed that all 379 occupants of Japan Airlines flight JAL-516 got out safely before the plane was entirely engulfed in flames. The pilot of the coast guard plane also escaped, but five crewmembers died, Saito said.
Local TV video showed a large eruption of fire and smoke from the side of the Japan Airlines plane as it taxied after landing. The area around the wing then caught fire. Footage an hour later showed the plane fully on fire.
Dramatic footage from the Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed plumes of orange fire and black smoke engulfing the passenger jet as it landed at Haneda Airport in the country's capital.
Video showed the plane's side and areas around the wing on fire as it taxied on the runway, before the fire spread to the cabin and rescue crews rushed to the tarmac. A local fire department deployed at least 70 firetrucks and other vehicles to extinguish the fire, NHK added.
Tuesday’s accident was the first severe damage to an Airbus A350, among the industry’s newest large passenger planes. It entered commercial service in 2015. Airbus said in a statement it was sending specialists to help Japanese and French officials investigating the accident, and that the plane was delivered to Japan Airlines in late 2021.
The A350 had flown from Shin Chitose airport near the city of Sapporo, the transport minister said.
Haneda, which was closed for several hours, is one of the two main airports serving the Japanese capital. The flights were operating during the new year holidays, one of the busiest travel periods in Japan.
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