5 Coast Guard members killed, captain seriously injured in plane crash at Tokyo Airport

Tragedy struck at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport as a collision between a Coast Guard plane and a Japan Airlines aircraft resulted in the loss of five lives among the six individuals aboard the Coast Guard aircraft. The incident occurred on Tuesday, according to the Japanese transport minister’s statement. The Coast Guard plane, identified as a Ma72 fixed-wing aircraft, was involved in a runway collision with a Japan Airlines plane.

This mishap unfolded following a powerful earthquake that struck central Japan the day before, claiming at least 30 lives, causing widespread destruction to buildings, and disrupting power supply to tens of thousands of households. Reports from the Jiji news agency indicated that the Coast Guard plane was on standby for departure to aid in the rescue operations after the significant earthquake in central Japan.

 

Eyewitnesses observed the Japan Airlines plane moving along the runway before an eruption of vivid orange flames burst out from beneath and behind it. All 379 individuals on board the Airbus plane, including eight children and 12 crew members, were successfully evacuated.

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Disturbing visuals portrayed flames emanating from the windows, with the plane’s nose on the ground as rescue personnel sprayed the aircraft. The runway was strewn with burning debris. More than 70 fire engines were mobilized to contain and extinguish the fire, according to reports.

Details revealed that the Japan Airlines plane had recently arrived from Sapporo Airport situated on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. An official from the Coast Guard stationed at Haneda Airport, renowned as one of the world’s busiest airports, mentioned that they were in the process of verifying specific information.

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Following the accident, authorities confirmed the closure of all runways at Haneda Airport. Japan, which has not encountered a major commercial aviation incident in decades, notably experienced its most severe air disaster back in 1985. A JAL jumbo jet en route from Tokyo to Osaka crashed in the central Gunma region, claiming the lives of 520 passengers and crew, marking one of the world’s deadliest plane crashes involving a single flight.