Five people were killed and one pilot is in critical condition after two planes collided at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Tuesday, causing one to burst into flames.
At least 17 people on a Japan Airlines flight were injured and hundreds were evacuated safely after the plane caught fire.
Videos taken inside the smoke-filled plane shows passengers shouting as the evacuation was announced.
The plane was completely engulfed in flames as firefighters attempted to extinguish the fire as 379 passengers were evacuated to safety.
LIVE: First light over Tokyo shows the wreckage of 26-months old Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900 JA13XJ on Haneda Airport ‘s Runway 34R after its landing collision and fire on Tuesday.
Scroll down to Livestream 1: https://t.co/SoF0TdiUsK#jl516 #JAL516 #東京 pic.twitter.com/2Vdi2UNtSh
— Airport Webcams (@AirportWebcams) January 2, 2024
Despite the chaos, passengers described a calm escape into Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
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“I was not that scared. Everyone got off the plane in an orderly way so I thought we would be okay.” says 59-year-old Satoshi Yamake who was onboard.
“I can only say it was a miracle. We could have died if we were late.” commented 28-year-old Tsubasa Sawada on the evacuation.
The crash disrupted travel plans for thousands of passengers, including American Jackie Wong who told CHCH News his plane was about to leave Haneda when the airport was shut down.
“We were on the plane for another three hours or so.” flash “first, the planes couldn’t move. And so, we were just sitting there.”
Passengers were informed they would not leave Tokyo that day and were subsequently de-boarded.
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Wong says the process was so orderly, he was out of the airport and off to a hotel with his luggage within 15 minutes.
“Got to the terminal, and it was one of the calmest things I’ve seen under such durress.”
Safety analyst David Soucie says the collision damaged not just the tip, but the main structural part of the wing.
“So when that hit and it pulled that wing back, it obviously ruptured some fuel cells or at least some fuel attachments and that started pouring fuel into the area. combine that with some winds that were going on at the time too and that can spread the fire much more rapidly.” said Soucie.
The other plane involved was a coast guard aircraft that was heading to deliver much needed earthquake relief.
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A series of powerful earthquakes struck Japan’s west coast on New Year’s Day, killing at least 55 people.
Of the six people on board the plane at the time of the incident, five were killed and the captain remains in critical condition.
Japanese Airlines’ Managing Executive Officer says the passenger plane was landing and officials were checking whether permission had been given by air traffic controllers.
The country’s transport safety board is expected to launch an investigation into the incident.
