UPDATE - Five died after Japan Airlines jet bursts into flames after collision with earthquake relief plane at Tokyo Haneda airport
Five people were killed when a Japan Airlines plane carrying hundreds of passengers collided with an earthquake relief aircraft and burst into flames on landing at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Tuesday, CNN reports.
All 379 people on JAL flight 516, including eight children under the age of two, were safely evacuated from the passenger plane, according to the airline, but there were fatalities on the second aircraft, operated by the Japan Coast Guard..
The Airbus A350-900 aircraft ignited after flying into Haneda from the northern Japanese city of Sapporo at 5:47 p.m. local time (3:47 a.m. ET). Video showed a huge fireball erupt as the plane ignited, leaving a fiery trail down the runway.
Five crew members died on the second aircraft, a De Havilland Canada DHC-8, according to Japan’s transport minister, Tetsuo Saito. Public broadcaster NHK said the plane’s captain was in a critical condition.
Japan Airlines has confirmed that 11 of the passengers on board JAL flight 516 were either transported to hospital or an airport clinic. There were no immediate details about the injuries.
The airline told CNN it is investigating the details and cause of fire.
