Japan Airbus 350 Collides on Runway with Japanese Coastguard Aircraft, Fire Erupts on Tarmac

By Sundance

Thankfully, the 379 people on the Airbus 350 survived. Unfortunately, 5 of the six people in the coast guard plane were killed. CCTV Video from the airport shows the stunning moment that JAL flight 516 hits the coast guard plane. It is remarkable that more people were not hurt.

Jan. 2 (UPI) — Five people were killed Tuesday after an incoming Japan Airlines Airbus A350 collided with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft on the runway as it touched down at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport, authorities said.

All 367 passengers and 12 crew of JAL Flight 516 from Sapporo on Hokkaido escaped without serious injury after the aircraft erupted in a fireball, but police confirmed five of the six crew aboard the Coast Guard plane delivering aid to the earthquake-struck region of Ishikawa were killed.

The Transport Ministry said the 379 passengers and crew aboard JAL’s plane escaped the flames via the Airbus’ emergency slides, but only the captain of the Coast Guard’s Canadian-built Bombardier DHC8-300 survived.  He was seriously injured. Video footage and photos posted online of the 5:30 p.m. crash show the Airbus appearing to burst into flames as it touched down and careened down the runway ablaze.

“I felt a bump, like the aircraft was colliding with something when touching down. I saw a spark outside the window and the cabin was filled with gas and smoke,” a passenger aboard the JAL flight told Kyodo News. The crash caused airport authorities to shut all four runways at Haneda, which remained closed late Tuesday.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered officials to launch an urgent investigation into the collision while pledging to provide information about the accident to the public in a timely manner. (more)