Japan Airlines A350 engulfed in flames after ‘collision’ with Coast Guard plane

ByIan Molyneaux
Airlines Japan Airlines plane crash
X (formally known as Twitter)

A Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350 has been destroyed after the aircraft burst into flames after landing at Haneda Airport (HND) in Japan.  

It is believed that the Airbus A350 collided with a Japanese Coast Guard de Havilland Canada DHC-8-315Q which was being used to deliver aid to a region of Japan hit by an earthquake on January 1, 2023.  

Video and photos shared on social media showed the Japan Airlines jet engulfed in flames as passengers on board fled from the aircraft. 

According to the JAL, all 379 people (including 12 crew members) on the passenger plane managed to escape using emergency slides that were deployed after the A350 came to a halt.  

Meanwhile, five people on board the Coast Guard’s DHC-8-315Q have sadly been confirmed as dead, while the captain of the aircraft escaped with serious injuries.  

Flight 516 left Sapporo New Chitose Airport (CTS) on January 2, 2023, shortly before 4.30 pm local time, and landed at Haneda Airport 4.47 pm.  

Following the incident, the airport was immediately closed, and emergency teams attended the scene offering medical support. 

In a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office, it said “no effort would be spared to save lives and rescue victims” and that information will be provided to the public as “timely” as possible.

In a statement by Airbus, the planemaker said it was in contact with Japan Airlines and will “communicate further details when available”.

The Coast Guard has launched an investigation to try to determine what caused the collision.  

AeroTime will update this article with new information as we get it.  

Share
Tweet
Share