January 2nd, 2024

Japan Airlines jet burst into flames after collision with quake-relief plane

Japan Airlines is taking part in the investigation to determine who is responsible for the deadly crash, Tadayuki Tsutsumi, the airlines' senior vice president of corporate safety and security, said in a news conference Tuesday evening.

While the investigation is ongoing, preliminary reports are the pilots of the Japan Airlines flight did not spot any aircraft on the runway before landing, he said. The Japan Airlines flight was confirmed to have “entered the runway as normal and began landing as normal and that there was an impact, which led to the accident, but we are still investigating further details,” he said.

Senior Vice President of Japan Airlines Noriyuki Aoki reiterated that its unclear at this point in the investigation if the Japan Airlines flight was cleared to land or if they communicated with air traffic control, he said the news conference Tuesday evening.

“However, I can't say at this time if they [Japan Airlines aircraft] were cleared to land, or if they communicated with ATC, because that is a fundamental factor in the cause of the accident, and we are still trying to confirm that,” Aoki said.

At least five people on a Japan Coast Guard (JCG) plane were killed when it collided with a Japan Airlines plane carrying hundreds of passengers and burst into flames at Tokyo's Haneda airport.

Japan Airlines said after the crash, four passengers who felt unwell were transported to hospitals but the airline has not received any additional reports of injuries to the passengers on the flight, Senior Vice President of Japan Airlines, Noriyuki Aoki, said in a news conference Tuesday evening.

The Japan Airlines flight landed at 5:46 pm local time and the crash happened around the same time, he said.

“We apologize for any inconvenience and concern this may have caused to our customers and all concerned. We pray for the rest of the souls of those who lost their lives aboard the Japanese Coast Guard's equipment and extend our condolences to the bereaved families,” he said.

The airline is still confirming details with the pilots on what they experienced before the crash.

“We will provide accompany service to those who have come to Haneda to meet their families,” he said.

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