Posted: Tuesday, January 2, 2024. 6:57 am CST.
By Horace Palacio: According to BBC News, a Japan Airlines plane became engulfed in flames after an apparent collision with a smaller coastguard aircraft at Tokyo’s Haneda airport. The incident has resulted in a significant loss of life and widespread disruption.
All 379 passengers and crew on the Japan Airlines flight were evacuated, but tragically, five of the six crew members aboard the coastguard plane perished in the accident. The captain of the coastguard aircraft sustained severe injuries.
Dramatic footage captured the moment the airliner was consumed by flames, with the fire also spreading to the runway. Emergency services are currently engaged in a fierce battle to extinguish the blaze, which continues to rage on the plane that had flown in from Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido.
Japan Airlines Flight 516, which had left Sapporo’s New Chitose airport at 16:00 local time (07:00 GMT), was due to arrive at Haneda at 17:40. In a statement reported by NHK, the public broadcaster, Japan Airlines said, “We are currently assessing the extent of the damage.”
The Tokyo police confirmed the deaths of the coastguard crew and the severe injury of the pilot. The cause of the collision remains a mystery, with both Japan Airlines and the coastguard launching investigations to determine the specifics of the incident. According to NHK, Japan Airlines reported that the collision occurred after their plane had landed.
The coastguard plane, part of a fleet of four, was en route to Niigata airport from Haneda, intending to assist in rescue and relief efforts following Monday’s earthquake in Ishikawa.
Television footage revealed a swarm of fire trucks at the scene, battling the inferno and smoke billowing from the airliner. Amidst this chaos, one passenger shared her relief online, “I was on board. I’m safe. Thank goodness,” she expressed on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Following this catastrophic event, Haneda airport has closed all its runways, with a spokesperson confirming the decision to Reuters. The incident has not only resulted in tragic loss of life but has also raised questions about air safety and the procedures in place at major airports like Haneda. The aviation community and the public at large await further details as investigations progress.
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The post International News: Hundreds escape burning plane in Japan; Five dead appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Tuesday, January 2, 2024. 6:57 am CST. By Horace Palacio: According to BBC News, a Japan Airlines plane became engulfed in flames after an apparent
The post International News: Hundreds escape burning plane in Japan; Five dead appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.