TOKYO, JAPAN - The crew and 379 passengers narrowly avoided a gruesome fiery death after a Japan Airlines plane collided with a small Coast Guard aircraft on the runway at Tokyo's Haneda airport and burst into a fireball minutes later. Five of the six crew of the Coast Guard aircraft died in the collision, but the captain survived with injuries.
According to reporting from the BBC, Japan Airlines flight JL516 plane originated from the city of Sapporo's New Chitose Airport on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. A statement from the airline said the aircraft was "involved in a collision with a Japan coastguard aircraft during its landing at Haneda Airport, resulting in a fire on the runway."
The smaller Coast Guard aircraft was a De Havilland Dash 8 turboprop, one of four planes en route to conduct rescue and relief operations after the Monday earthquake that rocked Ishikawa.
Japan Airlines added, "We want to assure you that all passengers and crew on our flight were safely evacuated. Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased members of the Japan coastguard."
Footage posted online showed the airplane bursting into flames on the runway.
The cause of the dramatic collision and resultant blaze is unclear at this time, however, the Japanese authorities said that an investigation is underway to "establish how and at what time the two aircraft came into contact with each other," according to BBC World.
Sky News reported that the Coast Guard pilot Genki Miyamoto, 39, radioed the control tower after the collision telling them, "The aircraft exploded on the runway. I escaped. The [condition of the] other crew members is unknown."
The outlet reported that the successful evacuation of the Japan Airlines Airbus A350 is being called a "miracle" by former pilots and experts.
A former commercial pilot, Roger Whitfield, told Sky News, "I think first of all, you've got to say that we just witnessed a miracle. The way they got all those passengers off that aeroplane is almost beyond belief. For the crew to have got all the passengers off, it's a miracle. There's no two ways about it."
In a follow-up post, she added, "I just got home. My mother, who was also riding with me, has returned safely. However, I have left my cell phone and other belongings behind, so I am unable to contact them directly. If you have any questions, please contact me. We pray for the repose of the souls of the Coast Guard personnel who were transporting relief supplies to the disaster-stricken areas."
According to reporting from the BBC, Japan Airlines flight JL516 plane originated from the city of Sapporo's New Chitose Airport on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. A statement from the airline said the aircraft was "involved in a collision with a Japan coastguard aircraft during its landing at Haneda Airport, resulting in a fire on the runway."
The smaller Coast Guard aircraft was a De Havilland Dash 8 turboprop, one of four planes en route to conduct rescue and relief operations after the Monday earthquake that rocked Ishikawa.
Japan Airlines added, "We want to assure you that all passengers and crew on our flight were safely evacuated. Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased members of the Japan coastguard."
Footage posted online showed the airplane bursting into flames on the runway.
The cause of the dramatic collision and resultant blaze is unclear at this time, however, the Japanese authorities said that an investigation is underway to "establish how and at what time the two aircraft came into contact with each other," according to BBC World.
Sky News reported that the Coast Guard pilot Genki Miyamoto, 39, radioed the control tower after the collision telling them, "The aircraft exploded on the runway. I escaped. The [condition of the] other crew members is unknown."
The outlet reported that the successful evacuation of the Japan Airlines Airbus A350 is being called a "miracle" by former pilots and experts.
A former commercial pilot, Roger Whitfield, told Sky News, "I think first of all, you've got to say that we just witnessed a miracle. The way they got all those passengers off that aeroplane is almost beyond belief. For the crew to have got all the passengers off, it's a miracle. There's no two ways about it."
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, told the press that the disaster was "very disappointing and saddening" and offered his "heartfelt condolences," to the Coast Guard families. Kishida, already dealing with the earthquake and tsunami disasters added his "heartfelt gratitude," for the successful evacuation of the airliner.
Haseda Fujikawa, a content editor for Waseda CMS posted to X that she was a passenger on the flight, writing (translated), "I was on board. I'm safe. Thank goodness."In a follow-up post, she added, "I just got home. My mother, who was also riding with me, has returned safely. However, I have left my cell phone and other belongings behind, so I am unable to contact them directly. If you have any questions, please contact me. We pray for the repose of the souls of the Coast Guard personnel who were transporting relief supplies to the disaster-stricken areas."
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