5 Dead as Japan Airline Flight Catches Fire After Collision at Tokyo's Haneda airport

New Delhi:  Five crew members on the Coast Guard plane were killed after a Japan Airlines plane JL- 516 with nearly 367 passengers onboard caught fire on the runway of Tokyo's Haneda airport on Tuesday. The incident occurred during what should have been a routine landing, as the flight was scheduled to depart from New Chitose Airport at 4 pm and land at Haneda Airport at 5:40 pm. Video showed a large burst of fire erupting from the side of a Japan Airlines plane as it taxied on a runway. The area around the wing then caught fire.

The incident has prompted a massive emergency response, with at least 70 fire trucks and other vehicles dispatched by the Tokyo Fire Department to extinguish the flames, as reported by NHK. The aircraft involved in the collision with the Japan Airlines flight is reported to be an MA722 fixed-wing aircraft belonging to Haneda Air Base. 

Other footages showed fire crews working to put out the fire. NHK TV reported that the plane JAL Flight 516 had flown out of Shin Chitose Airport in Japan to Haneda. For the unversed, Haneda is one of the busiest airports in Japan, and many people travel over the New Year holidays.  
 

Japan Flight Fire: What Happened So Far 

• The incident took place at 6 PM (Japan time).
• All  367 passengers were evacuated safely from the aircraft.
• Officials are extinguishing the flames, reported Japan's NHK news.
• Burning debris can be seen on the runway. 
• The government promptly set up an information liaison room at the Crisis Management Centre of the Prime Minister's Office at 6:05 pm to collect and coordinate information regarding the incident. 
• In response to the emergency, all runways at Haneda Airport were closed around 6 pm, causing significant disruptions to air traffic.
• Officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism have indicated that there is information suggesting a collision between the Japan Airlines Airbus A350 from New Chitose Airport and the Japan Coast Guard aircraft near the runway. 
• The cause of the collision is yet to be officially determined.
• The disaster prevention centre at the Japan Airlines Building at Haneda Airport reported that the fire is localised on Runway C. 
• Despite efforts to control the situation, the severity of the incident raises concerns about the safety protocols in place at one of Japan's busiest airports, NHK reported.