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On January 2nd, within minutes, the flames completely engulfed the plane.
379 passengers and crew on board a Japan Airlines flight were evacuated safely after the aircraft caught fire. According to the latest reports, it is believed that the plane collided on the runway at Tokyo airport with a Coast Guard aircraft carrying at least six people.
Images shown on Japanese public television depict one of the planes engulfed in flames. According to the AFP news agency, five out of six Coast Guard crew members died in the accident.
Additionally, it was reported that the aircraft was ready to depart for the Niigata prefecture to provide assistance to one of the regions most affected by the earthquake that shook the country earlier in the week.
The Japan Airlines plane was in the process of landing in Tokyo after completing a flight from the city of Sapporo, located in the northern part of the country.
The operation of Haneda airport has been disrupted, while the Coast Guard has stated that the causes of the collision between the two aircraft are under investigation.
Experts have praised the actions of the crew in ensuring the passengers’ safety during the incident. Graham Braithwaite, an expert in transportation systems at Cranfield University in the United Kingdom, commended the brave actions of the cabin crew and pilots aboard the Japan Airlines (JAL) flight.
“Japan has a phenomenal track record when it comes to transportation safety,” Braithwaite commented to the BBC.
“The evacuation has been successful and is a reminder of the significant investment made in the training of cabin crew,” he added.
Braithwaite emphasized that addressing these types of emergencies is about prioritizing safety.
“The crew members are the last people to evacuate the aircraft, and, at first glance, they seem to have done an incredible job,” he concluded.
