It’s a case of Airbus versus Boeing in the latest aircraft collision incident to take place in Japan.
A Korean Air Airbus A330 aircraft was pushing back at Japan’s New Chitose Airport (CTS) when it collided with a stationary Cathay Pacific B777 aircraft.
The incident took place at around 17:30 local time on January 16, 2023. A Korean Air official was reported by Reuters to have said that a towing car was pushing the Korean Air A330 backwards in preparation for departure.
Due to snow on the ground the towing car slipped, causing the left wing of the A330 to clip the Cathay Pacific B777’s right tail wing.
The Korean Air A330 carried 289 passengers, while the Cathay Pacific aircraft was empty.
The Cathay Pacific plane was scheduled to depart as Flight CX 583 at 17:10 local time for Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
There were no injuries reported from the incident.
According to Japanese broadcast channel NTV, a local fire department confirmed that no fire or fuel leaks were detected.
New Chitose Airport is located in Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s islands known for its hot springs and ski areas. January and February are the coldest months in Hokkaido, where heavy snowfall is common.