Tokyo [Japan], January 2 : In a devastating incident at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Tuesday, a Japan Airlines (JAL) aircraft collided with a Japan Coast Guard plane, resulting in a fiery crash that claimed the lives of five coast guard members, Kyodo News reported.
However, all 379 passengers aboard the JAL flight from Sapporo, including eight small children, escaped without life-threatening injuries.
The collision occurred around 5:47 pm (local time) as the JAL plane was arriving from Sapporo. The Coast Guard aircraft, stationed at Haneda airport, was taxiing on the runway when it collided with the JAL plane. The cause of the accident remains unknown, prompting the transport ministry to initiate an investigation into the aircraft's communications with flight control, as reported by Kyodo News.
Tragically, five of the six coast guard members on the plane, aged 27 to 56, lost their lives in the crash. The captain, however, managed to escape, according to police reports.
The airport's immediate response was to close all four runways, causing significant disruptions to air traffic during one of the busiest travel seasons, with many individuals returning to their hometowns for the New Year holidays. Subsequently, three of the four runways, excluding the one where the collision occurred, were reopened around 9:30 pm, according to the transport ministry.
The coast guard plane, en route to its Niigata airport base to deliver relief aid for those affected by the recent magnitude-7.6 earthquake along the Noto Peninsula and the Sea of Japan coast, was on a humanitarian mission at the time of the collision.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his condolences for the lives lost and instructed relevant ministers to swiftly investigate the incident while assuring the public of transparent information dissemination, according to Kyodo News.
Japan Coast Guard vice commandant Yoshio Seguchi conveyed his deep sorrow at a press conference, stating, "It is extremely regrettable to have lost the precious lives of our members. We offer our sincere condolences to the bereaved."
Passengers and crew aboard the JAL plane evacuated using emergency slides as the aircraft was engulfed in flames. Recounting the terrifying experience, one passenger mentioned feeling a bump upon landing, witnessing sparks outside the window, and the cabin filling with gas and smoke.
The passenger plane involved in the incident is identified as an Airbus A350, while the Japan Coast Guard's aircraft is a Bombardier DHC8-300.
The investigation into this tragic collision is ongoing as authorities work to determine the factors contributing to this unprecedented and sorrowful event, Kyodo News reported.
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